Steven University
by BJ-Noteworthy
Summary: A lame school AU, because every fandom needs one. No education though, just Pearl being emotional, and Amethyst being Amethyst.
1. Chapter 1

Muffled sobs were heard outside of a college dorm, shared by two girls of opposite nature. Amethyst, being one of two residents, twisted her keys in the lock, and strode on in. "You better get off that couch, P. There's a game on tonight, and I'm not gonna let you make me miss it again." She slung a roughed up satchel over onto a nightstand, and started to kick off her shoes, before noticing something was off. She came to a halt and looked over at Pearl, who was rising her face out of her hands, and rubbing at red moist eyes.  
"Yeah, sure." Her voice was croaky, but she was trying to force it into perfection. Amethyst slipped out of her other sneaker, and walked over to her roommate. "Pearl, y'okay?" The taller girl hunched up, and took a deep breath. "Yes." Amethyst stared at her, waiting for an honest answer, but just ended up plopping down next to her friend.  
Pearl immediately stood up, and walked to the other side of the room, to distract herself with studies. She pulled out a thick textbook, and sat cross legged on her bed. Amethyst watched her as she did this. She looked at Pearl, she saw the dry tears staining her face, puffed up eyelids, and heard her quiet sniffling. She was making an attempt to keep her composure, which Amethyst could tell wouldn't last. She stood up, and forced herself back over to pearl, Falling backwards onto her bed.  
Pearl gasped lightly, and sat up, bringing her homework closer to herself. Amethyst sat up with her, and looked her in the eyes. "Did you have a bad day?"  
Pearl ignored her question, and looked back down to her work. "I don't need you looking after me."  
Amethyst sighed impatiently and grabbed Pearl's textbook, closing it with a snap. "Excuse you" Pearl tried to say intimidatingly. Amethyst crossed her legs and faced forwards to Pearl. "I'm not going to let you mope around, and have me worried about ya. You might as well tell me whats bugging you now, before you snap at me for not knowing about it later." She tried her best to sound sincere.  
Her relationship with her roommate, was strained. They were always on each others case, couldn't get along, but at moments like this, when she saw her proud, flaunting priss of a friend vulnerable, it made her concerned.  
Pearl grabbed onto her toes, adjacent from each other, and wiggled them subtly back and forth, before shrugging her shoulders, and trying to say what was on her mind. "You know...how you always like to tease me, about 'liking' Garnet." Amethyst adjusted herself uncomfortably, not knowing if she should feel guilty. "Yeah...?" Pearl looked up at the ceiling, avoiding eye contact and spoke "Well, it was true. Is true." She waited for a reaction, and looked back at Amethyst, when there wasn't one. She took the initiative and went on. "Well, I decided I would tell her, to just, get it off my chest. Or, maybe I thought..." she sighed heavily and looked downwards, picking at the laces of her thin shoes. "..that perhaps, she would concur with my feelings, and maybe, I don't know,-" Her voice cracked before she could finish her sentence, and she quickly cleared her throat. "Look at me, I'm being childish. You really shouldn't worry, I'm just being self-absorbed is all. You know me. What were the chances that someone like her, would fall for...or even consider being with someone like..." she trailed off, and looked back up Amethyst, smirking, and trying to play her misery off as a joke. "..Me."  
Amethyst kept on a stern face, not showing any new, or jesting emotions. She grabbed Pearl's arm and looked her in the eyes. "..Pearl, it's not dumb to be upset over that. What you did took courage, it was pretty brave. Dumb, and maybe a bit too quick. But brave." Pearl shrugged her shoulder leaving Amethysts' grip. "..thanks" she said sarcastically. "Hey." Amethyst said "I mean it, P. Listen, ugh.." she scoffed and tried her best to keep steady eye contact with the girl across from her "Anyone would be lucky, to have you as a girlfriend. You're sweet, gentle, beau..pretty damn sexy, and uh, Well, If Garnet can't see that, than she doesn't know what she's missing."  
Pearl rolled her eyes "Listen, there's no need to pity me, she's not missing out on anything. I was being ridiculous for assuming that she would even consider being with an uptight, cranky-"  
Amethyst cut her off, before she could finish. "Quit! Dude, okay, so you have some problems. Everyone does. I'm a slob, a tomboy, a reckless "neanderthal" by your words, but I still have these guys coming after me." The confidence in her voice began to drop off. "I mean, sure, they don't really know all the good that they wanna try me out for. But, they still clearly, see my banging Ba-donk-a-donk, Charming looks, uh..sense of humor? Whatever else there is. So It's not you. It's Garnet! If you would've asked-" She stopped and reconsidered her next words "-anyone else, I assure you,they would have said 'hell yea, give me a smooch here, you jew." Pearl was lightening up, that much was clear, but she still felt the need to object. "Who, would ask me for a smooch, after I were to approach them? Garnet was who...I wanted to say that." Her cheeks began to flush red, and not from her stress or tears. "Not, I mean, I wouldn't take it that far so quickly. I would have been okay, with some...hand holding, or hugs or, just validation that I'm a prime candidate for a girlfriend."  
Amethyst sat back with laze, and asked a sudden question casually. "Hey Pearl, wanna smooch?" Pearl sat puzzled, and then understood the context of the question, she sat up in defense, and stayed stiff "W- Wait what? Amethyst." Amethyst leaned back towards Pearl, and puckered up her glossy lips. "Right here, I won't mind." Pearl leaned back, feeling her face getting hotter, and tried her best to not stutter out a reply. "Am-Amethyst! Okay, you don't have to prove your point. I get it, anyone else would be lucky to have me. There I said it." Amethyst let her lips fall back flat and opened her eyes up to Pearl. "Do you really believe that, or do you just want me off your back?"  
Pearl groaned, "Come on, you weren't really going to kiss me. You just wanted me to admit, that other people are willing to 'smooch' me."  
Amethyst quirked an eyebrow, feeling risky. "Oh, no? And who says, I don't want a peck from the queen of snooty-ville? Maybe you're my Garnet, maybe I've been too afraid to build up the same courage you had to confess to her. I guess you'll never know." Pearl sighed toy-fully, and sat back up to meet Amethyst's gaze. "Fine." She said smartly. "Kiss me." she crossed her arms and stared Amethyst in the eyes, as if issuing a challenge. But she knew, this was all talk, Amethyst will refuse this dumb challenge, and back out. As it should be, its one thing to try to comfort with a bit of manipulation, but its another to-  
Pearl's inner monologue was cut short, with Amethyst lunging towards her, to match her mouth with her own. Her purple glazed lips felt soft and plump against her thin pale lips. The warm sensation made her feel special, Pearl completely forgot all about the previous conversation she was having and fluttered her eyes closed, leaning into the kiss, moving her mouth against Amethyst's motionless lips. This was to Amethyst's surprise, but hey, she wasn't gonna complain about the situation. She moved her hands up to Pearl's shoulders, and quickly put them back down, feeling like she was taking advantage. She opened her lips, to close the deal, and see the reaction on Pearl's not-so smug face. As she did, Pearl's tongue darted inward, and felt the inside, of Amethyst's lips, She put a hand on the back of Amethyst's haystack of hair, and continued the kiss. Amethyst had mixed reactions to this. She WAS the one to initiate the kiss, but she didn't expect Pearl to be into it at all. Amethyst wasn't even sure if she was even into it.  
Was Pearl just feeling desperate, from Garnet rejecting her? Her mind started to fog up, and she didn't care what the reason was for this anymore. She put her hands back onto her shoulder's and smashed her lips back to Pearl's. As soon as she felt a tug on her hair, and a small noise come from the back of Pearl's throat, She backed out.  
Pearl's face was covered in blush, and a small smile had crept onto her face. She was breathing heavily, and then slowly, her smile began to fade, as she saw Amethyst's face. She sat there, eyes wide, mouth slightly gaped, and a flushed face. "Wow." she said.  
Pearl took her hands and flailed them at Amethyst, "Wow yourself! What was that about?!" Amethyst's mouth dropped more, and her eyebrows knitted together. "Me?! You're...are you seriously asking ME what that was about?" Pearl put a hand to her warm cheek, to try to simmer it down. "Yes, YOU. I honestly didn't expect you to actually GO for it. You lunged at me like...like some kind of ANIMAL!"  
Amethyst scoffed, she could not believe what she was hearing. "What! You were the one getting into it! I went in for a SMOOCH! You went full out!" Pearl's face starting to form to one of shame, and she looked away, trying to scoff back at Amethyst's response. Amethyst took advantage of her lack of words, and continued her flustered rant. "Was it even Garnet you were into? Are you sure that you didn't just need to let out your sexual frustration on someone?" Amethyst smirked coyly, and Pearl whipped her head back. "What! I do not have...Yes, it was Garnet I liked! Do like! Present tense, I still like her!"  
Amethyst rubbed a finger across her own lip. "Mm, so want me to tell her how you've been cheating?" Pearl looked around, and grabbed her textbook, that had ended up on the floor, she stood up in a huff, and headed to the door. "I NEED TO FINISH MY STUDYING."


	2. Garnet's dete's

Pearl stormed out of her college dorm, down the halls. Looking down, and walking fast, she didn't care to look ahead of herself. She suddenly ran into someone else, or merely bumped. She quickly looked up, and was shocked to see it was Garnet standing in front of her.  
"O-oh, hello Garnet, I'm just on my way to..." Pearl got cut off, by the taller woman staring down at her. "No Pearl, I was just coming over."  
Pearl stood there, looking at her peer, shifting her feet and glancing behind herself. "Well, can we talk later? I have a lot to do. You know how much work loads us with." Garnet stayed motionless, and finally shook her head to the side. "I'm sorry about earlier, I should have been more gentle with letting you know how I felt." Garnet put a strong hand on Pearl's shoulder and looked her in the eyes. The eyes which seemed to be distracted, and worried. "You're a nice friend, I'd hate to lose that. I don't want things to be..awkward, between us."  
Pearl stepped back and faintly smiled, "Sure! No Problem, Garnet. I'll see you in History tomorrow?" Garnet kept her eyes on Pearl, and slightly nodded. Then Pearl took off, steadily rushing down the hallways. Garnet watched her, before turning back to the same direction she was heading before. Room 81, shared by both Pearl and Amethyst. The reply she got from Pearl wasn't satisfactory enough, she went on to get a second opinion of Pearl's well-being. Arriving at the door, Garnet knocked only once, but hard enough. Inside, Amethyst jolted from the couch, and headed over to greet her guest. She knew it was Garnet, her friend was the only one who knocked once, just to let the others know she's arrived. Amethyst opened up, and looked up, nervously smiling. "Hey, G!" She paused and backed up with the door handle, letting her friend in. "Whats hangin'?"  
Garnet walked in and watched Amethyst close the door behind her. She waited for Amethyst to take her seat, before speaking. "Pearl. Is she okay?"  
Amethyst visibly tensed up and took the remote from the stand next to her, to fiddle with the buttons. "Oh yeah, she's fine. Why do you ask?"  
Garnet's stoic face turned to one of slight embarrassment. "She didn't tell you about anything that happened today?" She paused, then continued her sentence. "Between us?"  
Amethyst was trying to keep a relaxed pose. She let her arm hang over the arm of the couch, and set her feet up on the small table in front of her. "Uh, no. Nope, haven't heard anything about it." She opened the television guide on the box TV in front of her, pretending to divert herself from something other than Garnet. She noticed the silence still lingering, and turned her head casually over. "What happened?"  
Garnet step forward, and sat along side Amethyst on the couch. "I don't want her to find out I told you."  
Amethyst scoffed and elbowed Garnet in the arm. "Come on, it'll be our little secret. Give me the dete's" Amethyst's plan was to let Garnet tell her side of the story, pretend its sudden news, and forget anything else that happened earlier. Garnet stared straight ahead, as she gave her response. "I just want to know, did she seem upset when she came home? Was she okay?" Amethyst shrugged "Well, I guess she was...a bit off. But nothing to worry about, I'm sure she's over it." She noticed how she replied, and added on to it. "..Over whatever it is that she was upset about in the first place." She started to ramble, not knowing how to stop. "Which I still don't know...what it is. That she was upset about." She tossed the remote back on it's stand, and turned to Garnet. "You gonna tell me what it is?"  
Garnet let out a sigh, and slumped over, grabbing at her hands. "I suppose I should've seen this coming.." She kept her eyes locked on her hands, and tried to stop her fidgeting."Pearl, decided today was the day she should..come out to me." She sat straight back up and looked back to Amethyst. "Pearl told me, how she likes me, and I couldn't reconcile."  
Amethyst groaned, "Oh that's tough man. Sorry."  
Garnet stared at Amethyst in confusion. She sat there waiting, for what she was sure would come. Once she realized Amethyst's reaction was finale, she decided to elaborate. "It seems Pearl has feelings for me." This time Amethyst nodded her head, "Yeah."  
This response confused Garnet further, this was unlike Amethyst. The girl has always bothered Pearl about the relationship they had. Amethyst would bust a gut, and claim Cupid had left his mark, if Pearl were to even brush her arm against her own. Amethyst was beginning to notice Garnet's suspiciousness and spoke up. "What?"  
"That's not like you." said Garnet. Amethyst quirked a brow and tilted her head, waiting for Garnet to go on. "I'm not saying I don't mind your mature response to this. But, you're not going to boast the slightest bit?" After that, Amethyst caught up, and sprang upward from her position. "OH! Oh, yeah! Haha, I always knew Pearl had a gay-crush on you. So predictable." It was harder for her to be as surprised, the second time around. She quickly changed the focus from herself, "So what did you say to her"?"  
Garnet shrugged off Amethyst' odd behavior, for now. "I guess I was pretty straightforward, in letting her know I wasn't interested." She rubbed the back of her neck, showing tension, which unusually, wasn't her style. "I guess I didn't 'let her down easy'. I could have been less dull, and more considerate of her feelings." Amethyst put her hand on Garnet's back, resting between her tank-top straps. "Hey, this isn't your fault. Okay? She's fine, she can't expect to always get what she wants you know." She rolled her eyes, thinking of the egocentric girl. "No matter how much the Princess demands it." Amethyst took a peek at Garnet, and noticed she still had a look of guilt on her face. "What could've been the worst thing you said to her?"  
Garnet responded right away, looking for assurance that what she said was in the right. "You're not my type."  
Amethyst took her hand off Garnet and brought it to herself. "Oh man..." She remembered Pearl's main cause of self-pity. 'Someone like...me', 'uptight cranky' ...something about needing validation that she's good enough? Without noticing, Amethyst's face held emotions of sorrow. She muttered under her breath, half to herself, half to Garnet. "I guess that explains her lame excuses for your rejection."  
Before Amethyst caught herself, Garnet spoke up. "Lame excuses?"  
Amethyst was focusing on Pearl's pity and forgot that she made sure Garnet didn't know of their little chat. "Yeah, earlier she was going off about not being good enough." She raised her voice and made an attempt to make it sound like Pearl's. "Oh, she would never go for someone like me! I'm just a persnickety bird who has no self-confidence once she gets shut down!"  
Garnet's face turned serious, "You said you didn't talk with her about this."  
Amethyst suddenly remembered how her and Garnet's conversation started. "Oh." She looked at Garnet and started to think up of excuses. But, seeing Garnet look her like that, behind her mystery shades, silently judging her, made her a little nervous. She decided she should come clean before she got in real trouble. "..Ugh...Alright, yeah, I knew of your guys' business." Garnet crossed her arms in disappointment. "Why did you just tell me different?"  
Amethyst was still looking for an excuse, and decided to just improvise. "Well, y'see, I..I'm on her side with this whole thing. Man, she was bawling her eyes out, and I just went straight into friend-mode. Reassuring her, trying to make her stop being a baby about this, and I..." Her voice unintentionally raised again, but not to impersonate anyone. "..I trashed you, a bit. I guess. So, yeah that's my...reasoning...for...avoiding this conversation we're having right now." She cleared her throat for the final statement. "Uh..I guess I can't be on just one side, huh?"  
Garnet was in her natural rock-like pose. Amethyst felt intimidated, because really, that was what basically happened. Minus a few details.  
"Alright." Garnet finally said. "It's fine." She took a deep breath and stood up, turning to Amethyst. "As long as you got it under control. I suppose we're fine." Garnet headed to the door, and before she left the room she spoke out loud. "See you in History."


	3. See you in history

Pearl woke up. In her own dorm, which she managed to sneak into before curfew. She hadn't spoke to Amethyst since ... the incident. Pearl preferred to know it as just that, no need to bring up any unnecessary memories of what happened. An odd incident that happened on a sudden love-deprived impulse. She got up, and prepared to leave for her morning class, ignoring her roommate, until she realized she couldn't. Her morning routine consisted of waking Amethyst up, a stupid agreement, that she herself came up with. She calmed her nerves, that she shouldn't even have. As she walked over to the sleeping ogre, she notice her usual gross sleeping habits. She's gotten used to them, but for some reason it's now got her attention.

Amethyst lay there, half the covers torn off, probably from kicking. Half a blanket on her, and a pillow at the end of the bed, with a foot laying on it, while the rest of her sprawled outward. She stood in front of her, and saw her jaw slacked open for her occasional snores. A mouth breather, as if her grotesque behavior couldn't get worse. She would have spoke up, to wake her, as was her duty. But her staring allowed her to catch her eye on Amethyst's lips. _How disgusting._ Pearl thought to herself, _To think I ravished- no..., happened to enclose..her with myself._ Her eyes stayed on her roommate, and started to notice the little things that she never cared about previously. Her plump lips, were in the perfect shape for kissing. That would partly explain her former attraction with them. Her light purple lipstick, still stayed on, despite her constantly shifting in her sleep. That's some incredible talent. They're as perfect and glossy as they were the day before. Reminding herself of Amethysts traits, made her remember what she didn't want to.

_Pearl sat across from Amethyst, waiting for her big mouth to shut. But instead, what she got was her big mouth on hers. She knew it was Amethyst who was kissing her, but in a split second, her eyes relaxed, she shuffled forward, and partook in the kiss. It felt nice, Pearl wasn't thinking of the girl across from her. She was thinking of the kiss, just the kiss. Sure, she's done it before, but this one seemed to feel more important to her, it had more..sparks. Pearl' s lips closed around Amethyst's and wandered a bit around, until she felt Amethyst begin to move...and her mouth open. Pearl took the chance to make this a deeper kiss. She ran her tongue inside, and felt along the inside of her lips, and then some. She put a hand on the back of her kisser, for support, and_ _continued to indulge herself._ _After what felt like hours, the girl across from her put her hands onto Pearl, and put more effort into the act._

_Pearl felt comfort from the fact that someone found her this useful, that someone felt good this close to her, and she felt good herself. She attempted to lightly hang onto her partner's hair, but this sudden kiss was too much. It wasn't everyday this happened, she got caught up in the moment, suddenly tugging at the long soft hair, and-. _Pearl stopped her thoughts right there. She felt her heart was beating above it's average speed, and she brought a hand up to her warm, red cheek. Pearl turned around, and walked out, not wanting to speak, let alone think of Amethyst.

Pearl, headed into the classroom, feeling more relaxed in a normal routine. She looked to see Garnet, sitting where expected. Middle row, far left, and with her notes out from last class, to continue on from today. _Is it too soon?_ Pearl thought. _No, no, I promised her we were okay. And she assured me the same thing. _Pearl looked at her, thinking of how much more weird it would be. They couldn't be as close, now that she knows. She couldn't compliment or flatter her, without her thinking of Pearl's true "motives". Of course it wasn't true, Pearl loves her just as much as a good friend. She's alright with that, but their relationship with each other may never be the same. She imagined herself sitting up with Garnet, as the norm. Then, she realized Amethyst would be directly behind Garnet, directly behind HER. No, she couldn't deal with both of these girls at once. Though, they would find is suspicious, so she grabbed the person who just entered the door behind her

"Jenny, hi, would you do me just a small favor?" Her voice raised in anticipation, waiting for the response. Jenny merely shrugged, "Whats up?"

Pearl looked behind her and back at Jenny throughout her conversation. "Would it be alright, if you took my place sitting by Garnet today? I-I know you have your own little group, but just..today I'm not comfortable staying in my usual spot."

Jenny quirked a brow, looked up at Garnet, and over to her friends Buck Dewey, and Sour Cream. "Uuuhmm, sure, no problem." She walked forward and began to call for her friends. "Yo guys, I'll be-" Pearl yanked her back and shook her own head. "No, no, you can explain it to them later in private. I don't want Garnet, or anyone else, knowing i intentionally avoided her."

Jenny moved her arm out of Pearl's weak grip. She expanded her response, stretching it out in a confused tone. "Riiight..." She adjusted the bag on her shoulder and turned back. "Got it, Peach." Pearl lightly groaned, realizing she's just asked help from someone she hardly knows, this was ridiculous. But was it worth it?...probably, yes.

By the time Pearl decided to move, the room was nearly full. She had to set herself on the end of left side. A row right under Garnet and Amethyst, but almost un-noticeable. The teacher finally got his lesson together, and began speaking to the class. It was almost 10 minutes later, when the door by Pearl opened. She was too interested in writing about the oh-so-fascinating history on British Sports. Since Amethyst was late, she neither had a spot reserved near Garnet, but looking around for a quick available spot, she noticed Pearl. A scowl passed her face, but she couldn't argue with Pearl at the moment. She tossed her bag in the front row, and shuffled out her notes, ignoring the teacher's slight glare in her direction. Garnet, clearly noticing the both of them avoiding her, felt puzzled. It would take Pearl a bit more time to feel okay, about confessing to her. But, Amethyst has no excuse. Besides that conversation she had with Pearl, which she still doesn't know the full details of. Garnet was clever, and knew her friends, especially Amethyst. She didn't know what Pearl said about her, or what Amethyst said, that made them both want to avoid her the next day. She did have the slightest hint of worry in her, but looked back at notes, and pushed those thoughts away.

After almost an hour, Pearl felt confident in the work she got done for the day, and decided to pack up early. Of course she noticed Amethyst now, but she wasn't sure if the same was true vice-versa. She carefully slid down into the row below her, and above Amethyst. There were still people, which made it that more uncomfortable. But she could fit, she was stealthy enough. Pearl quietly pardoned herself, and dropped herself off the edge. She tried to sneak herself out the door, but Amethyst caught on from the moment she heard people griping behind her. So, she headed after her, she's got down enough info for the day.

At least, the info she was properly given.


	4. Kiss & Make-up

Pearl strode down the hallways, not noticing Amethyst following behind. Until of course, she heard Amethyst calling after her. "Hey P, forget something this morning?"

Pearl stopped and turned around with a poker face, looking at the girl approaching her from down the hall. "No."

Amethyst became within reach now, and put a hand on her hip, getting comfortable for the rant she was about to give Pearl. "Uhh, yeah you did. Me. Thanks for the wake-up call."

She watched as Pearl merely just sighed and rolled her eyes. "It's not _my_ responsibility to make sure you're up at a decent time of the morning."

"It kinda is." Amethyst glanced over at a wall clock nearby, and started to walk off to her next class, with Pearl following. "It's like, we got these unwritten rules of the dorm." She began to list off these rules. "You get me up in time for my morning classes, and I don't have to blare that 'horrendous alarm clock'" She was sure to quote Pearl on this, reminding her why she had to do what she did in the first place. "You do your weird ballet exercises only when I'm not in the room . Thanks for that, by the way." Before they parted ways, Amethyst added an extra rule to this list. "And, I get the TV all to myself on Wednesdays, I need to watch my games, no exceptions."

She paused for a beat and gave a small chuckle before turning away into a her own classroom. "..Except for yesterday."

Pearl tensed up and made a disgusted face, but moved on. _Alright, as long as that was the last thing spoken about..__that__, I should be good._ It was honestly ridiculous, that Pearl has gotten so unnerved over that simple kiss. Well admittedly, it was a little less than simple. Pearl shook her head and looked down while she kept walking through the halls, that have now been beginning to crowd. _But, Amethyst is clearly over the whole ordeal, so why shouldn't I be?_ She turned into the next door, with her nose high, and ready for her next subject. But, before wiping away all flustered thoughts on the events of yesterday, she considered something. _The newest addition to the un-written rules within dorm 81..._ She sat down and quickly smiled to herself. _Yesterday was just another one of her game nights._

In a few hours, all 3 girls had met up again for their lunch break. Their usual spot was outside on the campus. There were a select few benches and tables, in this part of the yard. As sophomores, they were still restricted of open campus lunches.

Garnet took one side of the bench, Amethyst took the other, and Pearl just stood their with a small Chinese take-out box, and bottle of fuze tea. She quickly shifted her eyes from both of her friends, trying not to make it noticeable. Pearl made a decision and daintily sat on the right side of Garnet's bench. Garnet looked over, and gave Pearl an assuring smile. She tried not to make her heart flutter at this sight, but her feelings of admiration were still there. She clasped her hands together and sat straight up. "So!" She piped up, taking the initiative to start conversation. "How are classes?"

Amethyst snirked at Pearl's horrible attempt to have a casual chat. But, she obliged none the less, though in her own way. "They. Are. INCREDIBLE!" She slammed her hands on the table, and jolted Pearl. "Man, you should've been there in Human Resources with me." Garnet found her sarcastic tone childish, but still entertaining. She could stop her if she wanted to...she didn't want to. Pearl sat there, confused, and not sure how to feel.

"The teacher actually brought in a real human for us to dissect! He offered me gloves, but I just dove right into it." She then began making strange noises, acting out the sloshing of guts, and organs. "-And then, of course, we had to take these into storage, right? Because, human resources are the most rare in this economy." As she went on, with this fable, Pearl slowly ate her food, trying not to listen to the gory details of Amethyst's day dream. She eventually put her rambling to a stop, and waved a hand at Amethyst. "Okay, stop. Stop, stop stop."

Amethyst huffed and leaned back, unsatisfied with not being able to finish. Garnet noticed her distraught, and before her and Pearl could argue pointlessly as per usual, she spoke up. "Amethyst." She turned her head back to Garnet, straight across from her. "You can tell me the rest of your story later." Amethyst sat up in triumph, and turned to Pearl, just to show off. "See? Garnet's got the stomach for it." She flipped her hair, and used a voice of formality. "It seems some people are more polite than others." She gave a snooty "hmph" that she's heard several times before, from Pearl. "You ask me how classes are, and I give a clear and truthful answer." Pearl injected immediately, "You gave a repulsive response,and created that fib on the spot."  
Amethyst quickly regained her position of being the one to speak. "Ugh, Pearl, do you always have to interrupt me?" She put a finger to her eye, and wiped away a non-existent tear. "First the entertaining tale, of how well my day went. And then the confirmation of how Garnet is more civilized than you."  
Pearl huffed "Yes, because you know all about being courteous, please Amethyst teach me your amazing ways of self-pride and cleanliness."  
Amethyst teased her more, by taking her sarcastic tone seriously. "I'm glad you've finally asked. First of all, stop placing your laundry properly in the hamper, its a bother. It's much easier just to throw your stuff , and let it hang off the side."  
Pearl changed the subject back to her, "I am just as civilized as Garnet is, if not more!" She looked to the side,and put a hand on her friend. "Not to be offensive, I mean you are terrific with manners, far more than Amethyst in fact and-"

Garnet decided to jump in again, not wanting to get in the middle of all of this. "Alright, Pearl." She looked in front her, "Amethyst. You've both made your points, one of you is more imaginable than the other." She then thought of the problem of their second argument "And you don't share the same traits." Amethyst quieted down, respecting Garnet's wishes. Pearl turned her head away, subtly agreeing to what was said.

Garnet nodded in approval, and went back to her lunch. She grabbed a greasy chicken strip between her fingers and casually dipped it into a side of barbecue sauce. But, before she could let them cool down, she felt the need to finalize their bothersome bickery. Though, this hardly ever worked, she still found it funny to say, especially right after a usual Pearl/Amethyst argument. "Now kiss and make up."

That simple phrase triggered their memories, and made them just as nervous as the day before. Pearl looked over to Amethyst, who looked over to Pearl. Pearl then looked down, and cleared her throat. Amethyst gave a smirk and lowered her voice, when replying to Garnet. "Heh, that's a great idea Garnet." Suddenly Amethyst got a jolt of pain in her knee, from underneath the table. The table bounced with her, and she loudly groaned. "gaAH! PEARL!"

Garnet looked over to Pearl, who put on a dumb face, and stayed staring at Amethyst. "What?"Amethyst brought her leg up and began rubbing her knee, "I was just joking...Jesus." Garnet then looked over to Amethyst,wanting to know what just happened. Amethyst noticed Garnet, and glared back at Pearl. "She kicked me." Garnet's mouth opened a bit in surprise, and looked over to Pearl, who by the looks of it, was still in denial.

"Pearl...?" Garnet's voice began to sound more strict. "Why did you just kick her?" Pearl leaned her elbow on the table,putting her hand onto her cheek. She moved the scraps in her box around, with a cheap pair of chopsticks. "I..didn't find her joke to be that funny." Garnet replied right away, "So you kicked her." Pearl began to feel guilty, but was still mad at Amethyst. "Yes."

Amethyst began to feel guilty now, not realizing that Pearl hadn't adjusted to what happened yet. She personally, already shrugged it off, Pearl still digs Garnet, so there's no point in seeing it as anything more than a pity make-out session. She grabbed her satchel, and slung it on her shoulder. She took her tray, and stood up. "Garnet it's cool, we should be heading back to class anyway."

Garnet looked at Amethyst with suspicion, but still agreed. "Right." She stood up, and took her leave with Amethyst. Pearl took a breath, and finally stood up after they were out of sight. She walked away, with more worry than she had this morning. She couldn't have Garnet, let alone _anyone_ , find out about what happened between her and Amethyst. She couldn't exactly explain why, but she knew she regretted what happened. At least, that's what she kept telling herself.


	5. Okay

Nearly an hour early before Amethyst, Pearl finished up her classes for the day, and headed off. While walking her path, she noticed Garnet up ahead, who also noticed Pearl. Garnet gave a small wave, and steered towards Pearl. Pearl chuckled nervously, and walked forward, so that her and Garnet could catch up with each other. "Hey Garnet."  
Without Amethyst, the awkward tension around Garnet was back. It's not that Amethyst calmed her-, well in a way it was. Amethyst was convenient for lightening up the mood, or absolutely killing it. But either way, she formed a perfect distraction for Pearl's worries. The worries that didn't involve her that is. Garnet walked by Pearl's side and kept quiet. This didn't worry Pearl, it's Garnet's way of being casual. So, really, there should be no tension here at all. Garnet does this on many occasions, she walks back to the dormitory with a friend, if available. As soon as they went outside onto the campus, Garnet spoke up to her. "What did Amethyst tell you yesterday?"  
Pearl, full of both confusion and nervousness, replied to her, "What do you mean?"  
"Well...you know.." Garnet started to trail off, but caught herself, and elaborated her question. "She told me, she was trying to console you, after what happened."  
Pearl stopped in her tracks, stiff. "She- She told you that? What is it that she told you, precisely? She was only consoling me, I assure you, nothing else happened. If she said otherwise, you should know that Amethyst has a very unhealthy habit of lying, and-" Garnet cut her off, which was unlike her, but Pearl was getting too ahead of herself. "That's what I was just trying to ask you."  
"Oh." Pearl kept walking across campus, keeping her eye on the dorm-building in sight. She coughed into her fist and nervously twirled her other fingers in the strings of the bag she was carrying behind her. "Well, that was a personal conversation, and I didn't imagine that she would even mention it." Garnet nodded solemnly. "Yes, sorry, but she didn't give out too many details if that helps." She looked over at Pearl from the corner of her eyes. "Except for the part where she was demeaning me, to make you feel better about yourself? "  
"Ahah, no, no she was just trying to get a point across."  
"What point was that?"  
"She thinks your opinions were flawed, and any other.." Pearl stopped herself, she was about to get into more details than she wanted. "..um, she just, thinks I should...look for other relationships." She turned to Garnet and smiled, "Don't worry, I don't feel any different about you." She immediately regretted the words she just used. "Oh! no, ha ha..i mean.." she forced herself to laugh, brushing it off as a joke. "I mean, as a friend, I don't see you any differently. She didn't really make you seem like the bad guy." Garnet didn't react to the previous statement, and accepted what Pearl said. "Alright." She walked ahead, to hold open the door in front of them, graciously. Pearl smirked and went ahead, "Thanks." A warm blush crept upon her cheeks, but not out of embarrassment for once this day. Garnet followed back in the building, after Pearl. Pearl turned back towards Garnet, to see her face to face. "Well, I'm three floors up, I guess this is where we part." Garnet shrugged, "I'm only two, I could tag along." Pearl turned to the elevator, and chuckled, "I'm one ahead of you, it would me tagging along with you. That is, until I go up." Garnet watched the elevator open, it wasn't as busy at this time.  
"I could come with you, I mean." Pearl walked in with Garnet, and turned to select both her and Garnet's floor.  
"Amethyst is still in school, though."  
Garnet laughed a bit under her breath, "Yeah..she is." She leaned back on a railing, and looked at Pearl, "I can't be with you alone?" Pearl didn't expect that, and before she could answer, the doors already opened up to the 2nd floor. Garnet stayed still, waiting for a reply from Pearl. "Ah..well, yes, you can." "Why not? You've..done it before, not often, but..sure." Pearl was a bit less flattered about this idea than she would be previously. Given their recent history. But, then again, maybe this was Garnet's attempt to get her to relax around her again. Or,this could just be a regular hang-out, and she's over-thinking it. Well, it's too late for that, she's already been over-thinking it. Garnet doesn't seem to be over-thinking it. She looked over at Garnet, to see her straightening up, just as the doors were closing.  
"Alright," Garnet said " sounds like a plan."  
Pearl shrugged and smiled at her, before looking away again. The doors to the next floor, opened, and Garnet went ahead. Pearl lingered behind for a bit, before finally moving, and walking with Garnet. She slipped her bag off of her back, and brought it in front of her. She fished the keys out, grabbing it by an osyster-toy keychain. She went to her door, unlocking it for her and her guest. Garnet went in, and sat on the red couch in sight. Pearl stood there, closing her door, and looking around. "Um.."  
Garnet motioned beside her with her hand, "You've got room." Pearl walked over and sat to the right of her, in Amethyst's usual spot. She wiped off a few crumbs on the couch arm next to her, and groaned lightly. "I'll have to remind her to clean up her leftovers, of all size." She mumbled more, complaining about her dorm mate. "Though, she wont listen, that's just.." Pearl used air quotes, and mocked Amethyst, using a deeper voice. "Totally not her thing, bro!"  
Garnet didn't want to choose sides, but she did have to put in her thoughts on this behavior. "I remember this was your same problem last year.. Didn't you get a choice of changing your 'mate over the Summer?"  
Pearl was just as confused as Garnet, but somehow found herself an explanation. "Well, yes, but we're used to each other, so neither of us found reason to move." Garnet cocked her head, looking directly at Pearl's hand, still smoothing out the surface which previously was infested with crumbs. Pearl noticed her gaze, and stopped her actions. She looked over to the arm, and continued, "Well, we still have our disagreements, and she is still a pain, no changes there." Pearl leaned over to grab a wet-nap, from the box she kept on the same stand Amethyst used for the remote. She wiped her hand clean, thinking of more reasons as to why they kept this arrangement. "We understand each other though, despite our petty arguments, that she always starts..." Garnet held back a chuckle from that small white lie.  
"I do consider her...well, a friend. And, I know she thinks the same. We've never announced it officially, but we can just feel it's there." She paused, concentrating on something, and popping back into reality. "Frenemies! That's what I think its called, yes."  
Garnet smiled, "Well its good to hear that you two get along at times, and not just for my sake." Pearl smiled back weakly, "Right...sorry for putting you through the trouble." Garnet shook her head, "No, its fine mostly. I can tell you two can tolerate each other when you have to. I just need to initiate it, is all." Pearl groaned, she didn't like admitting to being a pain, but when combined with Amethyst, it was obvious enough.  
"In public at least..., how do you two stop a meltdown behind closed doors?"  
"Ah, well.." There were many answers to this question, half that were basically just 'we ignore each other, until the problem is irrelevant.' Pearl, found a reasonable answer though. "Like I said, we can understand each other well enough. Once we've hit the boiling point.." _or once we get a noise complaint_ "We know we have to cool down, and just go our separate ways. On rare occasions, we can even come to a reasonable agreement."  
Garnet made herself looked shock. Pearl snorted, "Yeah, I know." Garnet still held a faint smile, and looked directly at Pearl. "I'm glad to hear you really like her." Pearl jumped slightly in her seat, "What? Wait, how did you even come to that conclusion? That's ridiculous, I just tolerate her is all." Garnet's smile fell all together, "Isn't that what we just finished talking about?"  
Pearl mentally-cursed herself for being so stupid, and sudden to what Garnet said. "Oh, well yes, she's a good friend is all." Pearl was once again turning a shade of red, and thinking of thoughts she would like to ignore. Garnet cleared her throat, "Alriiight..so?" She put three fingers to the side of her head, and tried to gather together the information. "You do like her?" Pearl shook her head, and waved her hands frantically. "No, I don't! I- wait yes." She stopped her movements, and corrected herself. "Yes, I appreciate her, I..." She couldn't get herself to say the words. It was no big deal, she's said it before, to Amethyst even, when she needed the clarification. "Yes. Like her, I like her. I like.." she took a deep breath, to cool herself down. "Amethyst."  
Garnet was dazed, "Okay." She had no idea how else to reply to that. Changing the subject from Amethyst, Pearl and Garnet talked to each other for a while more. After the conversation hit a dead end, Pearl grabbed her bag that she dropped off on the floor. "Well, I guess I should get studying, you know.. for my many tests and all." She stood up, "This was nice, I'll see you again soon." She didn't really expect to have a conversation about Amethyst, but the rest of her talk with Garnet will still nice. Garnet stood up with her, to take her leave. "Alright, see you later, Pearl."

After Pearl was alone, she moved to her bed, and adjusted herself comfortably. She cracked open her book, and focused on her notes she left bookmarked in the pages. She flicked a pencil rapidly between her fingers, going about her usual study session routine. Moments later, the silence in the room broke when she heard the doorknob rattling, followed by a noisy amount of keys, clinging against each other. Amethyst strode in, announcing herself, as if it was necessary. "Aay, here I am, your favorite roommate." She stood at the foot of Pearl's bed staring her down. "Speaking of favorite, I'd like you to do _me_ a favor, and stop locking the door after school."  
Pearl kept focusing, and quietly answered Amethyst, "Does it put you through too much trouble to use your keys like a proper person should?" Amethyst groaned, "When its needed, that's fine. But whose gonna try to break in during the day? What would they even do, steal your pencil from you?"  
Pearl kept quiet, so Amethyst went on. "It would take stealth to even try to sneak past you, let alone past me." She jutted a thumb out towards herself in a prideful manner. "So, we don't need to barricade ourselves when at least one of us is in here."  
"If I allow you that freedom, you'll begin to abuse it, and keep it unlocked whenever. When you're in, out, passed out, distracted with your blaring monstrosity on the television.." "Allow?" Amethyst interjected. "You can't allow me to do anything, I'll do as I see fit." She crossed her arms, "But you don't have to worry anyway, I wouldn't be dumb enough to leave with it locked."  
Pearl muttered under her breath, "whatever." Amethyst knew when to leave Pearl alone, so she threw her satchel on the single desk that lied in the middle of their neighboring beds. Next she collapsed, on said bed, and let out an exasperated sigh. Pearl glanced at her, just as she was sitting up. They caught brief eye contact before Pear looked away again, acting as if she was still focused on studying this whole time. The two went back to themselves, and indulged in their studies. After hours, just as it was getting dark, Amethyst gave in for the night, and packed her education away.  
She pushed out from the desk, and swiveled in her chair. Pearl looked over in disapproval, and slight amusement. Amethyst kept herself spinning, faster and faster, until the chair gave in. She fell over loudly with the chair on top, and yelled out. "FUCK!"  
Pearl went to help the chair up, and place it back properly. "Isn't that the 5th time this school year?" Amethyst rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. "I'm getting better at my chair-gymnastics. You've got to hurt to improve, that's what coach says."  
'Coach' didn't give Pearl a clue as to who she was talking about. They were attending a Sports College, for Sports Science and Leisure Management. Almost every teacher here called themselves a coach. "I wouldn't consider chair-spinning to be a sport."  
"Why not?" Amethyst sat up, as Pearl sat back down, into the previously fallen chair. "Apparently spinning on your toes is a sport."  
"What? Amethyst, no one spins on their toes, for sport activities. If you're referring to the arts of different styles of dance, than that is a whole different thing."  
"Meh, I don't see it."  
Before Pearl continued the argument, she realized that Amethyst was intentionally trying to rile her up. But that realization only encouraged her. "Dance consists of delicate and precise movements, it strengthens your muscles, and balance. It gives you stamina, improving both your body, and health. Not to mention, it is a relaxing art, not just a brutal sport where you have to tackle another player to prove your strength." It was obvious that Pearl was referring to Amethyst's interests. Wrestling, Football, anything barbaric that's considered a sport. Amethyst stood up, and flexed her arms, trying to show off. "Yeah, like what you see?" She struck several poses, none that Pearl hasn't seen before.  
"THIS is where real sports get you."  
"Okay fine, just don't do that again please." Pearl already decided to call it off, she couldn't see this pointless argument going anywhere. Plus, too much exposure or interactions with Amethyst wasn't what she needed. Amethyst stuck out her bottom lip in a pout, then brought it back in and brought out the attitude. "What? You don't like my hot bod'?"  
The question made Pearl's stomach flip, for a brief moment. But Amethyst was always like this, she's a flirt, most of the time only jokingly. She looked up at the girl, who was still standing in the same spot. "Don't flatter yourself Amethyst." She didn't say this as a comeback, just validation that she wasn't interested.  
"Why? You gonna do it for me?" Amethyst smoothed her hair back on her head, attempting to be suave. Pearl looked back to Amethyst, and glared at her. The answer was 'no', of course. But possibilities still ran through her mind. _She is charming in a way, but then again, all children are. Her eyes scanned the girl in front of her. She does have nice muscles on her limbs, I'll giver her that much. It seems she isn't a complete liar. Her rounded face is cute, and it does compliment the curtain of hair she has, draping over her back and shoulders. _She nearly lost herself, focusing on the details of Amethyst. The adjective cute kept running through her head, and she let it slip out. "Cute."  
Amethyst's voice cracked slightly "What?"  
Pearl came back to reality, "What?"  
Amethyst let out a weak laugh, "What, its cute that I'm still keeping this up?" She stretched her arms out and sat down on the bed behind her. "Well, you know me..It's what I do."  
Pearl filled with shock, as soon as she realized her mistake. "Oh!" She brought a hand up to her mouth. "No, I didn't mean..That just..." It slipped out, but Pearl wasn't going to reveal her reasoning behind the 'cute'. So, she tried to correct herself, without completely lying. "That was my way of, .. teasing you. Ha, you certainly did not expect it did you?" Her voice was stiff, it was a dead give-away to her cover up.  
Amethyst was slightly confused at the situation. "Wait, so is it true?"  
"Is what true?"  
"You think I'm cute?"  
Pearl paused, and switched her eyes over to the desk and starting cleaning up the mess of eraser shavings, and pencil marks that were left behind. "Well you were basically begging me to give you a single compliment."  
"That's...not what I did at all, though?" As she re-called, she was only trying to annoy Pearl with her act of narcissism.  
"Well, it stopped your dramatic actions."  
Amethyst flipped her hair once more, "Well goodness me, who would've guessed that all I needed to do, was ask you for flattery?"  
"Ugh, its not like I meant to."  
"Excuse me?"  
The cat was nearly out of the bag, so Pearl finally gave her explanation. "I was just imagining a scenario, in which you would need the flattery. So, I just picked out what I could." Amethyst smiled, "Aah, so you DO think im cute?" Pearl spun the chair, so that her back was to Amethyst. She stayed silent, until she realized that Amethyst wouldn't drop this until she had an actual answer. "Yes, I suppose."  
Amethyst laughed joyously, but obnoxiously to Pearl. This was nothing she ever expected Pearl to say. One day, she's kissing material, the next, she's cute. She couldn't wait to see where else this would go, but she simmered down, still not knowing how Pearl felt about all this.  
"You're cute too, P."  
Pearl shoved her face into her hands, hiding her blush.  
"..And, uh you know naggy. You..you still have things to work on. heh." She tried to make herself not sound too sappy.  
Pearl stayed still, so Amethyst got up, and shuffled herself over to the couch. "Okay, I uh..you need to get back to studying. I'll try to stop distracting you." Amethyst plopped herself down, and grabbed the remote, turning it on to find herself a new distraction.  
She eventually got into the show that was on, and didn't notice minutes later, when Pearl came up behind her. She felt a warm spot on her cheek, and lost all interest in what was in front of her. She whipped her head over, to see Pearl leaning over beside her. She just removed her lips from Amethyst's cheeks, and stood back up, looking down at her. Amethyst gave no reply, Pearl gave no explanation. She walked back to where she was before, and tried to casually get back into her work.  
Amethyst watched her, and saw her red faced, staring down at her work. Her pencil not moving, her body not moving. Amethyst hardly even moved. She noticed her mouth open, and closed it shut, after turning away from Pearl.  
Amethyst turned off the television, which caught Pearl's attention. She turned back over to look at Pearl, who simultaneously looked up at her. Amethyst let her bewilderment take lead. Without any clue as to how to react though, she simply croaked out an

"Okay."


	6. The feels

_"You're cute too, P."_

The moment she heard those words, she couldn't stop thinking of them. _I'm cute too._

Pearl barely listened to anything else Amethyst said after that. She put her face into her hands, not believing what just happened. What was STILL happening. Pearl could take a simple compliment, of course she could. Yet, she found herself losing her composure from this. She had to sit and breath, thinking over and over again of Amethyst. No, of what just happened because...of Amethyst. _It was unpredictable, that must have caused my shock._ Pearl just shamefully admitted to finding _Amethyst_ of all people, cute. Amethyst, the girl who hasn't touched a brush in years, who has no care for proper hygiene, and is just an over-all unattractive person. Those were Pearl's initial thoughts, until just recently.  
_Why, why do I suddenly find myself... liking Amethyst? Why has her compliment disoriented me so much, why does SHE disorient me in general?_ Pearl couldn't keep acting dumb, she had to admit to herself why. Because, she already knew why. _A kiss couldn't have done that, a kiss can't suddenly change a person's perspective on the other, could it?_ Pearl had to think, was this really so sudden? She focused onto Garnet, thinking of her feelings, and how she could compare those to what she felt for Amethyst. _Amethyst is a brat, Garnet is a respectable friend. Garnet is kind, and sweet, and admirable. Garnet is, well, very attractive..in many ways. We have much in common, we enjoy each others company, she is absolutely stunning. Of course I would like to imagine myself with someone like her. I would love to be closer with Garnet._

Pearl glanced behind herself, and found Amethyst, in a trance in front of the television. _Amethyst..._ Pearl had to explain her emotions, or she would just be that much more uncomfortable around Amethyst. _...she's a friend. Annoying, stubborn, and irresponsible, but a friend nonetheless._ She had to build up the courage to even admit Amethyst's pros to herself. _She's different from Garnet, she's far different from ME. But, that's exactly what makes her who she is. The quarrels are almost fun in a way, the teasing is a big part of our relationship. I would be very open to Amethyst adjusting her attitude, but I wouldn't want her to lose her fun personality. When Amethyst isn't whining or being cheeky, she CAN be very charming..  
Pearl grabbed a book that was in-reach, she did still need to finish what she started. Figuring out what her deal was with Amethyst, could come later. For now, she had to cram. At least one person in here is going to graduate. Pearl opened her book, and scanned the words with her eyes, mindlessly reading. ..No, now that's not true. Amethyst has gumption, she is incredibly smart when she has to be. She can be incredibly kind when she has to be...when she wants to be. Amethyst isn't as exclusive as Garnet or I, which can be very admirable. Amethyst is a very high-spirited person, her expressive personality must be why I find her desirable.  
Pearl embarrassed herself, realizing that she found Amethyst desirable. She tried scribbling down her work, but eventually, she had to stop again. Amethyst is attractive, she can be funny when her jokes aren't centered around me. Our brief moment of intimacy...was enjoyable. She swiveled the chair back in the direction Amethyst. She kept mulling over her thoughts. She thought about how nice it was to share such a moment with Amethyst. She thought about how...she wouldn't mind if it ever happened again. Pearl was almost secure in her feelings, but she still had no clue what was going on in Amethyst's mind. She couldn't just ask her upfront about it, but she couldn't avoid this any longer either. Pearl stood up, not planning what she would say to Amethyst, but she knew it had to be something.  
Pearl approached her, her eyes were still glued on the TV. Pearl still had time to hesitate, and re-consider what she was going to say. She stood behind Amethyst now, nervously opening her mouth to form words. Nothing came out, and she knew she couldn't stand their for much longer without being caught. Pearl leaned forward, beside Amethyst's face, and pressed her lips firmly against her cheek.  
This was not what she planned at all, but actions speak louder than words, right? She reeled back, almost scared of the reaction she was going to get. Amethyst looked up at her, with a puzzled face. Pearl stood for a moment more, but turned back. Well, that just happened. Why did that just happen, why on Earth did I just let that happen. She could feel her face burning up, but she ignored it, and sat back down. She didn't look back, she kept her eyes focused on the work in front of her. DID that just happen?_ There were no words from either girl. Pearl turned back, she knew she couldn't get away with this, it was dumb of her to try. As she turned back, she caught Amethyst turning back to look at her as well. Pearl's heart was beating rapidly, she wasn't sure if it was from anticipation, dread, embarrassment, or all of the above.  
Amethyst broke the silence, and finally gave her first reaction.  
"Okay."  
Pearl relaxed, but barely. She had absolutely no idea what that even meant. "Okay...?" She repeated what Amethyst said, just for confirmation. Amethyst was looking flushed herself, and nodded quickly. "Yeah." she paused a beat. "Wait, no." Amethyst was struggling for words. "What..why was that? I mean, why did...uh.."  
Pearl didn't want to jump in yet, she waited for Amethyst to form a proper thought.  
"You kissed me."  
Pearl nodded, "I did."  
Amethyst sat there, staring at Pearl, and finally decided to stand up. She walked over to Pearl, "Well, now that we both know what just happened in the last 5 seconds, want to tell me what that was about?" Amethyst tried to use her usual snarky tone, but without looking directly at Pearl, it didn't pass quite as well.  
Pearl swallowed, and grabbed her own hand, rubbing it and trying to soothe herself. "Well, I.." It was Pearl's turn to look for the right words. But, Amethyst did deserve a proper explanation at the sudden act. So, it was just easier to tell her what was on her mind. "I find you attractive Amethyst, and I know this is coming out of nowhere, it's surprised me too! But, sharing that intimate moment with you previously, which I admittedly took lead of, revealed thoughts in my head that I never knew I had. I know, I know this is really ridiculous, especially considering what just happened with Garnet-"  
Pearl was talking almost too quickly at once. It was a habit she picked up, but Amethyst learned to tolerate it. She just had to stand and listen until Pearl ran out of words.  
"-and, I know this may seem like you're a replacement for Garnet, or if you would prefer a more crass term, a 'rebound', but I assure you that is not the case. When you consoled me, I felt those feelings all over again, but in a new light. It was in a completely different, and frustrating way. Frustrating, mainly because I had no idea WHY i was even having those feelings in the first place!" Pearl began flipping her hands about absentmindedly, while rapidly talking to Amethyst. She went on, with both important and unimportant details.  
Finally slowing down, she came to her conclusion, "-so, maybe I just wanted to see how you felt about the whole thing. Maybe I thought a kiss would give me all the answers, who knows."  
Pearl looked at Amethyst, who looked both shocked, and impressed. She stood there, staring at Pearl, and finally came to the realization. "...Oh, you're finished talking?"  
Pearl swatted a hand at her shoulder, and grunted "Amethyst! This is serious!"  
Amethyst laughed off the assault, and and put her hand on her shoulder. "Well, I... don't really know what to say. You basically said it all."  
"Amethyst!" Pearl almost pleaded, "Just tell me what you're thinking."  
Amethyst took her hand off her shoulder, and sighed. She thought to herself, trying to match up with anything Pearl just said. She didn't really think about this as much as Pearl had. She shrugged and looked at Pearl, leaning forward. Pearl watched her, and let her place a kiss on her cheek. Pearl gasped lightly, and placed her hand, where Amethyst's lips just were. She looked at Amethyst, who was smiling at her.  
"Yeah, you're cool too."


	7. Rose

Garnet sat at the same table shared by the other girls, just another lunch. Before the other two showed up though, another friend approached. "Garnet!"

Garnet looked over to see her good friend, and school counselor, jogging over to her. She came to a halt, and set a clipboard down on the table, before sitting by Garnet herself. She brushed the pink curls that fell on her face, and smiled. "So! How have things been?"

Garnet smirked, "Everything's fine with me, Pearl and Amethyst seem to have some secret problems going on though." Not wanting to focus on the other two for now, she changed the focus of the topic. "So Rose, what brings you by?" Rose Quartz leaned on her forearms, trying her best not to get grime on her white suit, from the outdoor lunch table. She turned her head slowly back and forth. She looked behind herself, and scooted closer to Garnet. She let out a whisper, "That's confidential."

Garnet gave a small laugh, "Right, right." As the counselor, she couldn't discuss anything that happens inside her job. But, Rose still let Garnet know what was going on besides that. "I don't have any meetings set up for today! And, no one's even come in all day, so I figured I could slip out for lunch." She put a hand on Garnet's shoulder and leaned into her side, "And see yoooouu and..." "Rose!" Pearl's voice was heard as she was arriving to the table herself. She sat down and smiled at her cheerful friend, "It's good to see you, how have things been?"

Rose pursed her lips, reminding herself of what Garnet said about Pearl and Amethyst. "Hmm, I'm fine, all is good. And, how are you Pearl?" "ROSE!" Now it was Amethyst who shouted as she ran up to the table with a greasy McDonalds bag in hand. She slowed down as she got closer to Rose, but still wrapped a single arm around her friend, for a side-hug. "It's great to see you!"

Rose laughed lightly, "Wow, you guys, I haven't been gone for months!" Amethyst sat on the opposite end of Pearl's bench, and nagged Rose as politely as possible. "Well, yeah but you still don't' have all the time in the world to come and say hi to us." She opened her bag, and set out all of her lunch. "But, I guess with all the drama at this Academy, you pretty much have your hands full." Rose sat up, and clasped her hands together. "Yes, that's right. Speaking of drama,.." Rose stopped mid-sentence, as Garnet put a hand on her lap. Rose looked over, and watched as Garnet quickly shook her head 'No'. Rose huffed and scooted away from her. She turned back to her other two friends. "So, anything going on in your guys lives'?" She eyed Pearl and Amethyst back and forth. Amethyst didn't seem bothered by the question, she just kept smacking her burger, and replied with an open-mouth. "Nah." In return, Pearl brought her hand up to her hair and tucked a small section behind her ear. She didn't seem to be making much eye contact when she said "No, I suppose not."

Garnet snorted, and had to interject now. "Right, you two never have any problems."

Pearl looked up at Garnet offended, and scoffed. Amethyst laughed, at both Garnet and Pearl. She wiped her mouth off with the sleeve of a sweater she had on. Pearl glared at her, once she heard her laugh, and noticed when she misused her clothing as a napkin. "Amethyst!" She forced her arm back down, and Amethyst grunted. "What?" Pearl grabbed a napkin that was provided inside the fast-food bag. She quickly began swiping at the corners of her mouth. Rose smiled, "Oh, so you're getting along pretty well now?" Pearl looked back at Rose, then back at Amethyst. She took the napkin and stuck it in Amethyst's hand. "Here, learn how to properly clean by yourself." She scooted back to her original spot, and crossed her arms. "We're no different than before."

Amethyst kindly chuckled this time, and wiped the remains of her food off her face. Rose looked at Amethyst, and decided to put her on the spot. "So, Amethyst?"

Amethyst threw her trash back in the bag, and looked at Rose. "Yeah?"

"..What's your take on this? Is there any new conflict between you and Pearl that, I need to know about?"

Amethyst's face went stiff now, and she tried her best not to show any emotion. Which failed to pass by Rose. Being a professional at these kind of things, Rose could tell the answer was a yes. Amethyst muttered for a bit, then cleared her throat for a proper answer. "Uh,...Nah. Nothing that isn't per usual. Our normal, shenanigans..they're still going strong alright." She picked at a fry and squished it with her fingers. "No need to worry though, that's just our thing." Pearl groaned, which caught Rose's attention. She looked at Pearl with a curious smile on her face. Pearl noticed, and Pointed her hand at Amethyst. "The fry!" She needed Rose to know that this was the only thing she had to argue against. Rose put her hands up in defense, "I saw, I saw! I understand your anger, uncleanliness is not your gig." She brought her clipboard up to her chest, and pulled out a pen from her breast pocket. "That makes me wonder..." She began writing down, but no one knew if it was legit notes, or if Rose was just teasing them, as she's known to do. "..How is it that you two can tolerate each other so much?" She peered over her supposed notes, at Pearl and Amethyst. Garnet took the chance to try to sneak a peek of what she was putting down.

Pearl's face flushed, as she thought of the most recent reasons she came up with for sticking around Amethyst. Amethyst casually put a hand over her mouth, disguising her reaction from Rose. Pearl's eyes shifted over to Amethyst momentarily, but she returned them to Rose, so she wouldn't notice. Though, she probably did. The pause was still there, and it made Rose that much more interested. She put down her board, face-down and gave a cocky smirk. Amethyst annoyingly took an empty slurp from her soda, and looked at Pearl. There was no way she was going to be the first to say something. Pearl shrugged and looked off, trying to be simple with her answer. "Well, she's certainly more than just a pest." Amethyst smiled with her straw between her teeth. She supposed she could throw in a word too, "Yeah, P ain't all too bad."

Rose hummed softly, and stood up with her board, "Well I should be off now girls." She look directly at Amethyst and Pearl with a smile, "I'll be seeing you around."

As she left, Garnet got up and followed after her. "So, I've noticed that Pearl and Amethyst have a lot of scribbling and smiley faces they need to work out."

Rose clutched the clipboard to her chest, "Hey! THAT is confidential."


	8. Sexy

The end of the school day has already passed, and Pearl and Amethyst have both have came back to their dorm. Despite the events from the previous night, neither girl has said anything more about each other. Besides that small scene with Rose earlier. Amethyst laid sprawled out on the small couch in front of her T.V., she groaned at the book she had been staring at, and dropped it on her stomach. "Peeeaarl.." Amethyst pathetically called out for her friend.

Pearl gave little attention to her, as she was otherwise busy. "What?" She hoped it was just an annoying comment, she couldn't partake in anything else right now. Amethyst stretched her hands up and threw one over the top of the couch. "Grab me a soda."

Pearl stopped her writing process, and swiveled in the chair she was using. She glared at the arm dangling over the couch, and sighed. "From YOUR own mini-fridge?" Amethyst protested right away, "That I let YOU use? Yes."

"Amethyst, just get up and grab it yourself." Pearl looked at the foot of Amethyst bed, where she kept her refreshments and junkfood stocked. It was a small fridge, covered in miscellaneous stickers, and whatever that crusty stuff is on top. Amethyst sat herself up, just to slump back down over the back of couch. She look at Pearl and groaned again, just to get on her nerves. "You're closer.."

Pearl rolled her eyes, and set her pencil down. She walked over and crouched down in front of the mini-fridge. She opened it and peered inside, then turned her head back to Amethyst. "What do you want?"

Amethyst moved her head to try to look over Pearl's shoulder. "Uhmmm.." She had to decide out of her oh-so-many choices of fizzy drinks. She pointed toward Pearl, "That one". Pearl was starting to get annoyed now. "Amethyst, please be descriptive with your words. I can't tell what you want just because you point aimlessly and say 'That one'". Amethyst hummed and thought of how to elaborate. "Alright, you see that blue bottle on the left?" Pearl spotted the bottle, and pulled it out. "This?"

"Yes." Amethyst continued, "Okay, now move forward 3 jars."

Pearl put the bottle back in, and hovered her hand over what she assumed was Amethyst's desired beverage. Before she grabbed it though, Amethyst yet again gave her instructions. "Now look behind it,beside the mustard."

Pearl put her hand down and whipped her head back to the couch. "Amethyst! I'm not going to play this scavenger hunt with you!"

Amethyst snorted, and hopped over the couch, "Alright." She walked over and moved Pearl out of the way, so she could get what she wanted. Pearl threw her hands up in disbelief. "You couldn't have just came over here in the FIRST place?" She stood up and gave Amethyst an irritated look

Amethyst muffled her laughter as she talked, "Yeah, but it was funner to watch you go through that."

Pearl followed Amethyst back to the couch. She took the book Amethyst let drop to the floor, and sat beside her. She began trying to crease out the pages. Amethyst watched her mumble to herself, and flip through the book, fixing any and all dog-ears she could find. "..you do know I have bookmarks you can borrow. Really, just ask rather than ruining this. Did you even buy this, or is it a rental? If you borrowed this from someone they are never going to trust you with any of their possessions again, I hope you know that". Pearl kept tiding Amethyst's school book up, and Amethyst just sat taking a break and gulping down her drink. After a small while, Pearl decided to look back at Amethyst, and was disappointed in what she saw. "Shouldn't you be studying anyway?"

Amethyst set down her empty soda can, and turned to Pearl with a serious face. She put a hand on her cheek and leaned her elbow into the side of the couch. "Well, I would but.." She motioned her hand to Pearl and her own book. Pearl looked down at the pages, and gasped lightly. "Oh! Oh, I'm sorry." She closed the book and handed it back to Amethyst, who shook her head in disapproval. "You just can't help yourself, can ya?"

Pearl crossed her legs, and quoted Amethyst from the past. "Well, you have your own 'housekeeper', why should you complain?"

Amethyst snorted, Pearl hated it when SHE said that, but saying it herself makes it okay apparently. Actually it's pretty funny coming from Pearl's mouth. "True." Amethyst needed to make Pearl disagree with her again somehow. She didn't know why, it just felt like an obligation. She crossed her arms behind her head and leaned back against the couch. "All you need now is a maid's outfit."

Of course, Pearl's gone through this enough times, to know that Amethyst just wanted to get in an argument. Or at least set Pearl off, and get a rage fit from her. So, she just decided to see where this would go. "Sure thing, I'll pick one up from the clothing shop tomorrow."

Amethyst put on a grin, imagining such a thing. Then, her imagination lead her to different ideas. "A _sexy_ maid outfit?"

Pearl opened her mouth in shock, and turned to Amethyst. "NO!" She got up and stormed back to the other side of the room. "You win, game over. I am not participating in this little fantasy of yours."

Amethyst stood up in defense and shouted back at Pearl. "Woah! Woah Hey, who says its a fantasy? It's not like I was serious."

Pearl kept her back to Amethyst, looking away with her pink face. "Still, I don't appreciate you saying such inappropriate things, especially in regards of ME."

Amethyst gave a reluctant apologize. "Fine, I am so sorry Pearl. I would not like to see you in a maid outfit, sexy or not. Are you happy?"

Pearl didn't respond. Amethyst waited a bit, before approaching her. "Pearl?" She came back to reality, and cleared her throat. She turned to Amethyst, "Well the apology is appreciated, but.." She stopped and watched Amethyst get closer to her. Once she stopped, Pearl decided to continue. She looked up at the ceiling, and tried to sound as mature as possible. "Well, I can't stop you from forming your own opinions, so think of that hypothetical scenario however you want. I don't care."

Amethyst was partially confused, but just agreed with Pearl. "Um, alright?"

Pearl crossed her arms and shifted her feet. "So?"

"So what?"

Pearl let out a breath, and nervously re-adjusted her arms. "Well, not that it matters, but being that it has to do with me.." She looked at Amethyst, trying to act casual. "Would you actually?" She slowed down her words, as she made eye contact with Amethyst. "..enjoy that?"

Amethyst put the question together in her head, and realizing what she meant, the confusion on her face swept away. "Oh my god."

Pearl kept a straight face, and waited for the response. But Amethyst just wanted to confirm the question, in case she would get yelled at yet again. "You want to know if I would or would not want to see you in a sexy maid outfit?"

Pearl huffed and looked away again. It sounded really stupid when said out loud, but there was nothing wrong with wondering what Amethyst's actual thoughts of her like that were. Was there? "Perhaps."

Amethyst laughed nervously. "Aha, um...You do know I was joking Pearl, right?" She saw that Pearl was slightly uncomfortable, so she let her know what she probably wanted to. "I haven't actually thought that over, you know. So, don't worry, I honestly have no answer for that."

Pearl looked down after Amethyst told her this. "Mhm." It was an acceptable answer, not quite what she was looking for though. But she decided it would be better to drop it after all. "Alright."

Pearl sat herself down on her own bed. And since Amethyst was already here, she fell onto hers. "Man, you're weird, P."

Pearl paused before replying to this. "How so?"

Amethyst sat back up to look at Pearl. "First you scold me for having 'such lewd thoughts'. And now you were just encouraging it."

"Not true." Pearl interjected immediately.

"Yes true." Amethyst said back.

Pearl's instincts told her to correct the grammatical mistake."Yes, _it is_ true."

"It is?!" Amethyst covered her mouth in fake shock. "My, oh my, Pearl!" She waved her hand at herself dramatically. "Who knew you were into such..." She lowered her voice to a sultry tone. ".._Dirty talk_?" After saying that, Amethyst was met with a pillow thrown to the face. "Oi!"

After her initial reaction, Pearl decided it would be more wise to use her words. "Stop that."

That wasn't quite the words she had in mind, but it was all she could get out.


	9. Girlfrenemies

The evening was slowly passing, and Pearl laid listening to the clicking and tapping of Amethyst's hand-held gaming device. She peered at her from the corner of her eye, and placed her hands intertwined on her stomach. _Just ask her,_ she urged herself. Pearl knew what she was going to say to Amethyst next. She wouldn't have to go through another awkward moment like the last. Though, this wasn't a particular topic she thought Amethyst would be keen to. Amethyst quietly cursed to herself and dropped her game on the bed. Pearl waited, to see if she would resume the game right away. Before she got the chance too, Pearl spoke up.

"Amethyst?" She turned her head to meet Amethyst. Amethyst rubbed her face in irritation, and mumbled, "Whuh?"

Pearl tightened her lips, and waited a moment, before asking what she wanted to know. "So,.." She took a small breath, and looked directly at Amethyst. "How _much_ do you like me?" Amethyst looked over to her, snapped out of her post-gaming trance. "What? Well, I tolerate you enough to stay here, don't I?"

Pearl shook her head softly, "You know what I mean."

Amethyst crossed her legs, and face forward to Pearl. "Well uh, you're cool P." She ran a hand through the back of her hair. "I guess, I mean- yeah, I like you a fair amount." Amethyst struggled for words, she was put on the spot, and couldn't think of how to answer. She swallowed and retorted the question back to Pearl. "How much do you like _me_?" Pearl let a breath out through her nose, and turned onto her back. She was ready for this, and gave Amethyst the answer she knew she had. "You're a pest alright, but I like being close with you. I can't stop thinking about those brief emotional moments we had together."

Amethyst shifted on her bed, trying to get into a relaxed pose. "Yeah?"

Pearl shut her eyes, and let her thoughts flow free. "Its odd, this relationship we have. If you were anyone else, with the way you tease me, and bicker, I would want to have nothing to do with you. But, you're not just anyone, you're...Amethyst."

"Yup, that's my name, alright." Amethyst tried to ease the tension she was having by playing it off as a joke. Of course, this wasn't a joke, this was real and happening.

Pearl laughed softly, and brought a hand to her mouth. "See, that's just like you."

"Oh, so I got a laugh out of ya? That's rare." Amethyst wasn't trying to sound snarky, but it was true. It was almost as if Pearl never showed any appreciation for her.

"Amethyst, listen.." Pearl sat herself up and moved to have her legs fall to the floor in front of her. "You know I don't really think you're just an uncouth child." She put a finger up and tilted her head. "Though I'm not disregarding that idea altogether."

Amethyst smirked,_ of course_ Pearl couldn't have a single conversation without mocking with her. Not to say that it's really a bad thing.

Pearl continued, "You do have a fun personality, Amethyst, and I appreciate that. I think you can be charming, and funny, and clever. But being how we are. I can't always tell you this."

Amethyst shrugged, "Well, you're telling me now."

Pearl smiled briefly, and looked down at her lap. "Well, I don't want to make false accusations here, but I'd say things are changing between us. We're starting to get a bit more comfortable with being friendly." Surprisingly, Pearl said something a tad more complicated now, but with ease. "And being a little _too_ friendly, seemed to be no trouble." During the action that is, but the whole ordeal afterwards isn't what Pearl was thinking of.

Amethyst nodded, and decided Pearl shouldn't be the only one to see it that way. "Yeah,..I guess I'm warming up a bit more to you too." God, that sounded cheesy, Amethyst had to re-word that quickly. "..I mean you are pretty hot, so it'd be hard not to anyway." She looked at Pearl, and put on a cheeky grin. Pearl was taken aback by the improper compliment, and felt her face have a sudden rise in temperature. She looked away immediately, and stammered. "W-well, if that's how you want to express your feelings so be it." She absent-mindedly put her hand to her cheek, and quickly changed the discussion. "But anyway, back to my original question, if you'd still care to answer it."

Pearl was horrible at hiding her blush, did she really think Amethyst wouldn't catch onto her habits by now? She watched her hand covering her simmering cheek, which she probably thought was hidden by Amethyst. It was cute how flustered she got, and how the simplest compliment could make her blush so easily. But as the next words came out of Pearl's mouth, Amethyst was glad Pearl wasn't paying attention to her, because in return, she was becoming unnerved herself. "Oh, y- d'ya mean how I like ya? How much I like you?"

Pearl didn't bother to answer, because she knew it was rhetorical. Amethyst already knew that's exactly what she wanted to know. Pearl just told her how she felt, without pausing, or getting nervous. So, it was only fair for Amethyst to step up and tell her the same. "Umm.." Amethyst wasn't good with stuff like this, it was just easier to be Pearl's frenemy. But, on the off chance that could change..a girlfrienemy maybe? No, that's not a thing, especially not a thing Amethyst should be thinking of right now. Pearl looked a little impatient now, as Amethyst was thinking over what to say. Finally she decided to just get it over with, and dive in.  
"Okay, so here's the deal." She started off with a serious tone, trying not to get too mushy, or emotional about this. "I guess you could say I dig ya now. I mean before, I knew there had to be SOME reason that I liked being around you. Other than teasing you, and such. Though, that was a major factor."  
"This shit's just came out of nowhere though. Just last week, I was fine with this on/off friendship thing we got going on. But knowing that you're cooler with me now, fuck son, It makes me think, what's next for us y'know?"

Pearl stayed silent throughout Amethyst's speech, even though the extra curse words weren't needed. _Now's not the time to tell her to clean up her vocabulary_, she thought. She had to keep reminding herself this though. Amethyst could get a bit out of control with that sailor's mouth.

"I'm just saying, if we could be friends with how we already treat each other, I don't see any reason for us not to, you know have post-Garnet make outs, with the info we have on each other now." She paused, thinking of the term she used. "Okay, well no, Garnet doesn't have to be involved in this anymore. It's just me and you baby." She paused again. "Unless she'd be into that kind of thing, I mean hey-"

Pearl cut her off there. "-Amethyst! That is totally inappropriate, and not up for discussion."

Amethyst held back her laughter, "Alright, yeah my bad. Anyway, so yeah wanna see how well we can really stand each other?"

Pearl crossed her legs and hummed to herself. She smiled, and looked at Amethyst, "Sure, Amethyst. Would you like to accompany me to the 'Big Donut Shop' tomorrow?"

Amethyst was lost now. "What does donuts have anything to do with this?"

Pearl groaned, "A date, I'm asking you out on a date."

Amethyst's jaw dropped, "Oh, OOOOH!" She wiggled in her seat, excited about the idea, but calmed herself down, trying not to seem like it was a big deal.

She leaned back and her arms, and blew a piece of hair out of her face.

"Yeah, sure, sound's cool."


	10. Big Donut

It was nearly 12 in the afternoon, on a Saturday. At this time, Amethyst was still sleeping, and Pearl decided it was time to bother her. If she didn't get her up now, she would be knocked out all day. Maybe even for the whole weekend. Pearl walked up to her, and lay a hand on Amethyst's shoulder, giving her a nudge. Amethyst didn't flinch, so Pearl crouched down beside her face, and whispered loudly. "Amethyst."

There was no reaction. Pearl honestly had no idea what time Amethyst decided to sleep, so this would be a challenge, getting her up. Pearl placed both hands on amethyst now and rocked her harshly, speaking up this time."Amethyst!" The girl groaned, and turned over onto her stomach, dragging the blanket over her head. Pearl frowned, was she really so tired, or did she just forget about the plan they had for today? After pondering, Pearl figured out it was likely the former. She lifted the blanket from her messy hair, and down to her waist. "It's already twelve A.M., Amethyst, please get up."

Amethyst reached her hand out, and found Pearl's face, which was still at level with her. She pressed a finger lazily against the tip of her nose, and shushed her. Pearl stood back up, and brushed her nose with her fingers. "Alright fine, I'll bite. When DO you plan on getting up?"

Amethyst lifted her face from her pillow, and cleared the hair from her face. She looked over at Pearl with droopy eyes, and told her "Never", before falling back down.

So, she was just being lazy and aggravating now. It's not to say that she was excited, but Pearl was awaiting her date with Amethyst. Pearl knew that Amethyst was just as ready for this too, from last night. She just needed reminded of it. So, an idea popped into Pearl's head. She decided to give Amethyst a preview of what she would like to come from this date. She leaned back down, and brushed the hair that once again had fell on her face. She hesitated for a split second, but then decided to just go for it. Pearl pressed her lips against Amethyst's, which caused an instant reaction.

The other's eyes opened and she stared at the face so close in front of her. Pearl removed herself, and hummed happily, satisfied with herself. Amethyst sat up and ran her hand through her hair, as habit after she fully woke up. She saw the smug expression on Pearl's face, and had to admit, it was a clever way to get her up. She stretched her arms in the air, and yawned. "Well, if you wanted me to get rid of your morning wood.." She smiled as Pearl's expression turned to one of regret."..you could've just said so."

"N-no!" A blush was already creeping onto Pearl's face. "Amethyst I don't have-, I'm-" She groaned lightly and stood back up, walking away, and grumbling. "Just, get cleaned up for the day!" She crossed her arms, and faced Amethyst again. "Clean up your act, while you're at it."

Amethyst dragged herself off the bed, on the opposite side of Pearl. "M'kay." She walked into the small restroom across from her, and shut the door. She turned to the closet cupboard, and opened a drawer, fishing out a pair of shorts. Amethyst came back out, as soon as she went in.

Pearl looked her up and down, and frowned."Did you even change?"

Amethyst nodded and stuck her thumbs into her pockets. "Yup."

Pearl tsked, "No, you were wearing that exact same sweatshirt yesterday." Amethyst walked past Pearl, and to the door. "How much do you think it takes for it to get dirty? I only wore it for about 20 hours." Before Pearl could protest, Amethyst quickly finished her math. "And slept in it for 8 hours, whatever."

Pearl crinkled her nose in disgust, "Listen, you can do that on your own time, but please freshen up a bit more before going out." Amethyst let out a long groan, on her way back to the restroom. She slipped out of her sweatshirt, her tanktop, and added on two more. She stepped out, and presented herself to Pearl. "There, happy?"

Pearl smirked, "Very." She picked her coin purse from her bed, and put it in another small purse in her hand. "Alright, so let's go."

Sadie drummed her fingers impatiently, on the counter of the Big Donut. It was one of the stands in the school's food court she worked with Lars. Or supposedly worked, her partner hadn't shown up yet, and the lunch-rush would be starting soon. She looked at her watch, it was exactly twelve now. She looked back up and saw Pearl and Amethyst heading towards her. _Great_, she thought, _Lars isn't here and now I have to deal with this argument alone._

She smiled weakly at the two girls, and gave a small wave. "Hey, guys, what's going on?" Sadie was hardly even friends with these two, but they always had her settle an argument when they were nearby. Just last week, she caught their attention, while they were discussing which was better; Pineapples, or Pickles. She never even found out how that conversation started, but she wasn't sure if she ever wanted to know.  
Amethyst sat down with Pearl"Hey, Sade' can ya fix up a large funnel cake for two?"  
Well this was an odd turn of events, or perhaps something else was behind this. An eating contest, Pearl's first donut maybe? That could actually be possible.

"A large?" Pearl cut in, "How much do you think I'm planning to eat of that greasy sugar?"  
Sadie stood there listening awkwardly, just to make sure she'd get the right order.  
"I dunno' P, but how much do you think I'LL eat?"  
Pearl paused and turned to look at Sadie. "Right, a large will do."

"Alrighty, coming right up." Sadie went back to fry up the cake, and hoped that no one else would be coming up. She couldn't handle the cooking and ordering both at once. But, other than the faint bickering behind her (or the normal conversation?), she couldn't hear anyone trying to get her attention.  
Then, she heard Lars.  
Sadie covered the fried batter in powdered sugar, and walked back to the counter, placing it between the two. Lars was on the other side, pestering them, and Sadie smiled at him, in a way that only Lars knew meant trouble. He patted Amethyst and Pearl on the shoulders. "Well, ladies, I should be getting to work. I will see you later."  
He obnoxiously jumped over the counter, and landed by Sadie. He turned back to the customers, and stifled his laughter "Oh hey, long time no see."  
Sadie nonchalantly elbowed him in his ribcage. "Lars. I need you to clean up."  
"What! There's nothing to clean, shift just started."  
"Right" Sadie said, "It just started about an hour ago."  
Pearl recognized this kind of situation, and interjected before things got worse. "Here you go, Sadie. $15, is it?" She pulled money our from her purse and reached it out to her.  
"..Yeah, thanks." She took the money and opened the cash register, placing it in.  
Amethyst took a piece of funnel cake off, and placed it on Pearl's shoulder. Pearl looked over in confusion, and took it off. "Excuse you..?"  
Amethyst jabbed a plastic fork into the other side of the snack. "You can eat it, you know. It's not gonna hurt you."  
Pearl picked out the fork, with a chunk of funnel cake attached to it. "Well, pardon me for not digging right into it, like-" Pearl had to remind herself that this was actually a date, and not a time for getting into fights. "like um, a wild animal." God, she hoped that Amethyst didn't take that as a synonym for what Pearl was going to say the first time. Which was of course, Amethyst. But, Amethyst didn't notice or care, so she took another bite and shrugged. "Alright, whatever you say."  
After Lars and Sadie's silent disagreement in the back, Lars came back up just to bother Amethyst and Pearl again.  
"So, what's Pinky and the Brain doing here?"  
Pearl ignored the question, not even knowing it was being directed at her. Amethyst stared at him, and stuffed another piece of food in her mouth. "What?"  
Neither one got the reference, which disappointing Lars. "You know, like..'One is a genius, the other is insane.'"  
Pearl payed attention to Lars now, "Well, I thank you for the compliment, but Amethyst here is not totally insane, and that was rather rude to say so."  
Amethyst snorted, "He didn't call YOU genius, don't just assume these things."  
Lars shook his head, "No, no, no, 'cause like, one of them is tall and skinny and the other is short and.."  
Pearl and Amethyst stared at Lars, waiting for him to finish his explanation.  
"And..Pinky. It starts with a P like Pearl."  
Amethyst laughed, "So, that makes ME the genius!"  
Lars slapped his head."No! Arghh.."  
Just as he was about to give up, Buck Dewey and Jenny ran up to him. "Heeey, Lars!" Jenny slapped her hands on the counter, and Buck sat down in front of Lars.  
Jenny began to order instantly, so Sadie hurried up to the counter, beside Lars. "I need a sprinkled donut, one of those white kinds. White frosting, but chocolate donut. I like those." She pointed her thumb to Buck, "And this guy'll have one of those long ones, filled with jelly."  
Though Lars would be the one getting them, Sadie took notes. Lars just went back to the topic he was on before they showed up. "Guys! Ok, tell me." He looked over to Pearl and Amethyst. "Pinky and The Brain." No further explanation was needed, his friends knew him well enough to put together the rest. "Am I right?"  
Buck and Jenny looked at each other. Buck laughed a bit, and answered his question. "Yeah, I hear ya."  
Jenny nodded in agreement, "Yeah, if that's what y'all wanna call yourselves now, that'll work."  
Lars laughed and gave them both high-fives. "Ha ha, yeah!"  
Buck leaned on the table and looked at Lars through his dark shades. "I thought your next tier would be boyfriend/girlfriend though."  
Lar's laughter and smug expression stopped. "What?"  
Amethyst and Pearl, who had to reluctantly listen to this too, asked the same thing simultaneously. "What?!"  
Sadie had said nothing, she just wanted Lars to finish up his meet-and-greet, and get the donuts.  
Lars put his hands up, and shook them in defense. "Woah, woah wait. Who do you think I'm talking about here?"  
Jenny snickered, as if it was obvious straight from the beginning. "You and Sadie?"  
Lars' jaw dropped open, and Sadie, only understanding half of the conversation, looked bewildered. "You think Lars and I-"  
Lars turned back and walked away to get the donuts. "SO, a chocolate white, and 'one of those long ones with the jelly' right?" Lars nervously tried to change the subject, back to the donuts.  
Meanwhile, Amethyst and Pearl took a sigh of relief. Pearl nibbled on a piece of funnel cake, and muttered to Amethyst. "I honestly thought they were still referring to us."  
Amethyst coughed, and shook her head. "Nah." She lowered her voice. "That's not us, yet."  
Pearl paused and kept the strip of cake on the edge of her lips, "..yet?"  
This was not the best time for Amethyst to slip up, she couldn't defend herself to secretly. But, she still tried to keep the volume between her and Pearl. "No, I mean, we're not girlfriends." She looked around her, to make sure there were no prying eyes, or eavesdroppers. "Whether or not it'll stay that way, I don't know. That doesn't matter though, shut up and eat your donut."  
Pearl whispered back harshly, "It's a funnel cake."  
Amethyst groaned lightly, "Same thing, basically."  
A new whisper joined in the conversation. "What are you two doing?"  
Pearl and Amethyst both jumped apart from each other, and Pearl unintentionally yelped from the intruder. They looked back, and saw Garnet standing behind them.  
"Sorry, didn't mean to frighten you."  
Pearl smoothed back her hair, trying to keep her composure. "Uh, yes. I mean- it's quite alright."  
Lars stood in front of the two now, to talk to Garnet. "Ay, whatcha want?"  
"I just saw my friends Lars, came over to say hello."  
Lars nodded, and walked back over to his friends. Amethyst dipped her finger in the remaining powdered sugar, and licked it off. "So uh, Garnet, you just saw us?"  
Garnet smiled, "Yes, don't worry, I didn't catch your hushed discussion."  
Pearl again, sighed in relief. Amethyst laughed, and offered Garnet some of the remains of their snack. Garnet picked a single piece up and analyzed it. "You two haven't got into any trouble, have you?"  
Amethyst took Garnet's hand and pushed it up to her mouth, suggesting she ate the food. "What, two roomies can't go out for a breakfast together?"  
Garnet took the snack in her mouth, and took her hand out of Amethyst's light grip. "It's 12:30."  
Amethyst scoffed, "That's morning on the weekends."  
Garnet found it pointless to make an argument against that. "Okay, so after you two are done here, want to go down to the track?"  
Pearl clasped her hands in delight, "Oh, sure!"  
Amethyst shrugged. " 'Kay."  
Garnet took another bit of food off of their plate, and popped it in her mouth. "I'll meet you two there."  
Garnet took off, and Pearl and Amethyst glanced at each other. Amethyst chuckled lightly, and finished the whispering off.  
"Well, I guess we should get ready for our second date."


	11. Passing Time

Garnet tossed a bottle between her hands, waiting for her friends to show up. It felt like it's nearly been 10 minutes, but the dorms were a bit away, so she decided to be patient. Another 10 minutes slowly passed. Garnet sat on a bench, picking at her phone she hardly used. Garnet decided to call Pearl, just to see if everything was going alright.  
Pearl picked up on the other line, almost immediately. "Garnet, hi!" She sounded out of breath, but took a moment to fix that. "Sorry, something came up, we'll both be there shortly."  
Garnet really didn't want them to come down if they just finished a heated argument. "What's happened?"  
"Ah-Amethyst, she-" Pearl was struggling with her words, before Amethyst took over. "Pearl just started snapping at me, nothing outta the norm'." An audible scoff was heard in the background, likely from Pearl. Amethyst chuckled, but the phone was pulled back to Pearl. "We will be there soon."  
And with that, the call ended. Garnet groaned lightly, she could swear they were having one of their good days. It looks like it might not be that way at all now.

The other girls would be glad to know that that's what Garnet had in mind. After they got back home from the Big Donut, they didn't have any issues. Amethyst and Pearl went their separate ways, finding comfortable clothing to change into. Pearl gave a picky comment on Amethyst's choice of bringing a soda bottle rather than water. And Amethyst teased her about anything she could at the moment. So like Amethyst said, it was nothing out of the ordinary. That is, until Pearl decided to snap at Amethyst.

"Pearl, you know Garnet probably has like 5 more water bottles tucked in her hair, right?" Amethyst stood by Pearl, watching her pack a bag with ice packs, water, a portable first-aid kit, and other miscellaneous items.  
Pearl was on her knees, digging around and prepping her track bag. "Well excuse me for not wanting to dehydrate and pass out on the field."  
Amethyst laughed, and leaned down to Pearl, before she got out of the way. "Whatever, nerd." She gave Pearl an unexpected kiss on the lips. It wasn't unexpected fro Amethyst though, it didn't really mean anything special. She just thought Pearl was being cute, annoying, and ... kissable.  
Pearl accepted it though, and began kissing her back. She didn't realize how much she was actually into it herself. As they pulled apart, Amethyst gave a small groan, and glared at Pearl. Pearl stared at her, confused from her irritation. Amethyst looked down, and put her thumb to her lip. "Dude. Did you just bite me?"  
Pearl sat straight up in defense, "What?" She grabbed her bag and hurriedly stood up. "No."  
Amethyst followed her as she walked away to the door, "I'm not complaining here, but yeah you kinda did." Amethyst caught her by the hand, stopping her from leaving right away. "Hey, come here."  
Pearl looked over her shoulder, and saw Amethyst pulling a finger towards herself. She took the hint, and turned around leaning slightly down to Amethyst. She got pulled into another kiss, Amethyst started softly, to lure Pearl in. As soon as Pearl set a hand on Amethyst's shoulder, the other girl chomped down on the bottom of her lip. Pearl shrieks and flew backwards, slamming herself against the door behind her. "Amethyst!"  
Amethyst played innocent, and shrugged. "What?"  
Amethyst stifled her laughter that was building up, and continued, with a hushed tone. "..I thought you were into that."  
Pearl re-composed herself and stepped toward Amethyst. She put a hand on her shoulder, and leaned down to speak into her ear. "That's a discussion for later." Pearl moved a lock of hair to expose Amethyst's skin, and quickly nipped at her ear lobe. A shiver ran down Amethyst's spine, despite her act of being a prude, Pearl couldn't just keep her desires to herself. She took the only chance she had to show off. Amethyst grabbed Pearl before she could retreat, and stared at her. A smirk formed on her lips, "So that's how you're gonna be playing this?"  
Pearl had no idea what she meant by 'playing', but she found it best not to question the girl's strange lingo. Though she did gather vague thoughts of what Amethyst was saying. Is this how she would play out the relationship? Is this how she'd share her intimacy without seeming weak? Whatever it was, Amethyst seemed to take interest. She pulled Pearl into her, clutching her shoulder's harshly, and giving a rough kiss. Pearl grunted, shocked at this sudden turn of events. But from instinct, she remained where she was, and fought back with her own mouth. She grazed her teeth across Amethyst's bottom lip, and sucked softly after each bite. Amethyst reacted tensely, her lips twitching, wanting to retreat after each pinch between Pearl's teeth. But Amethyst wouldn't let Pearl get away with it that easily, so she retorted when she could get a bite in for herself.  
After moments of this pleasurable torment, any thoughts of their previous plans were gone. Pearl grabbed Amethyst by the wrist, and dragged her to the nearest furniture, being the couch. Unintentionally, she pushed her a bit too roughly onto it, but had no time to apologize before she got distracted again. Her eyes trailed the skin exposed at the top of Amethyst' tank-top, and leaned down to observe it closer. She pressed her lips against her collar bone, and looked up at Amethyst, for a reaction. Amethyst faintly chuckled, waiting to see what Pearl planned to do next. After a second of consideration, Pearl sank her teeth into the skin, and let a shout out from Amethyst. It was only momentarily, but audible enough to satisfy Pearl.  
Amethyst clutched the back of Pearl's head, with a grip on her hair, ready to pull when/if Pearl got too rough. She felt her skin being pulled, sucked on roughly, and teeth pressing into her. She pulled back on Pearl's hair every moment she felt the urge to whine. After prodding and attacking Amethyst with her mouth, Pearl brought her hand up to rest on Amethyst's cheek. She smiled as they mad silent eye contact.  
Pearl looked back down, and began to trail small kisses across her collar bone, to the other side ready to work at it again. Before she got the chance, Amethyst sat up, grabbing Pearl's hands and pushing her back down. Amethyst hovered over Pearl, trying to suggest that she was in control now. She grabbed Pearl on each side of her ribs, digging her nails through the thin shirt separating them. She began slowly dragging her hands down, leaving red streaks hidden underneath. Pearl tried to hold her tongue, but a small moan rumbled in her throat. Amethyst's hands stopped, placed on both of Pearl's thighs, she slowly traced her fingers back up, and-  
A sudden ring disturbed the two, and Pearl flew up right away. She dug her hand into her pocket, and answered immediately, she knew who it was. Her mind had blocked off all thoughts of Garnet, or the track, or whatever else, until the familiar chime reminded her. She swung her legs off the couch, and arose, trying to make herself decent. "Garnet, hi!"

Now Garnet finally saw her friends catching up with her. Amethyst ran up to greet her, and Pearl trailed slightly behind. "Alright, so what's up? Wanna go around the field once or twice, trying to beat my record?"  
Garnet went along with Amethyst's enthusiasm, and simply nodded. She turned back to the bench, and grabbed a stopwatch, tossing it to Pearl. "Time us?"  
Pearl gave a nervous smile, catching the watch one-handed. "Yup, got it."  
It was obvious she still felt guilty about the time it took for her to get here in the first place. But Garnet was already over it, she headed with Amethyst to line up for their run. She couldn't help but be observant, and notice bruises covering the left side of her chest. She got closer, taking a better look, and questioned Amethyst about it. "Did something happen?"  
Amethyst looked at Garnet, and followed her gaze down under her neck. _Well, that was quick_ she thought. Amethyst rubbed her fingers on the marks, and hummed to herself. "Oh, these? They're nothin'." She casually adjusted her top, so that the small sleeves would cover as much as they could. "I just got clumsy is all. I fell, or..ran into a thing." She shook her head, correcting herself. "Well, it's a blurr really, it was just a fleeting moment. They're just there now."  
Garnet and Amethyst crouched down on the line, getting ready to sprint off. Garnet was obviously smarter than Amethyst would hope. "Alright, how about this?" She readied her stance, glancing at Amethyst. "I pass you, and beat that time you like to gloat about. Then you tell me what's really happened."  
Amethyst looked at Garnet, glanced at Pearl in her Percival vision, and then set her eyes on the track in front of her. She smirked smugly, accepting the challenge.  
"You got it."


	12. Garnet Time

_**A/N:**_ _(This might not be the best chapter, I was sick when writing most of it, and got lazy in the end, so I kind of rushed it. Also there's a lil NSFW this chapter. Just a lil though)_

"Go!" Pearl called out as she started the timer. She stood watching the two girls sprint off, neck and neck., her attention fully focused. The both passed by her, in a flash. She turned her head, watching them whizz off with incredible speed.  
Truly, Amethyst wanted to tell Garnet all about her and Pearl. She just loved to gossip, even if the focus was on her, and she couldn't hold her tongue about this much longer. She had been friends with Garnet longer than Pearl, so naturally, she came first. But there were obvious down-sides to the revelation as well. First of all, it's Pearl.  
After all the arguments, and swears that she couldn't stand Pearl, it'd be strange to just come out and tell Garnet they were kinda hooking up. While Amethyst's thoughts ran through her head, she didn't notice that Garnet had been running too. She looked ahead and saw the back-side of Garnet, a few feet in front of her. She could stop thinking of the Pearl discussion for now, there's no way she'd let Garnet get the satisfaction of beating this race. Amethyst took a deep breath and powered herself forward, her feet flew off the ground after each step. As she approached, Garnet picked up on her own speed.  
She could hear the sound of Amethyst riding right up behind her, which only encouraged her to pick up the pace. Though soon enough, Amethyst went past her, grinning wildly. This was one of the only things she could top Garnet at. Well, occasionally that is. But, strength and focus was definitely Garnet's virtue. Amethyst on the other hand, had a knack for being quicker with her movements, and determined when the situation called for it. When Garnet was determined, it could be more dangerous.  
Garnet knew she'd have Amethyst blabbing to her about Pearl sooner or later, though. So this wasn't anything too big, but if she didn't let Amethyst know she was curious now, it'd just give tempt the girls to keep the secrecy that much longer. What did Garnet think was going on, anyway? Well all she had to go off of, was a few oddities that have happened.  
_"Amethyst was there for Pearl, when she was going through heart-break. Maybe something personal was shared between the two.  
They both seemed to be tenser around within the following day, and then very strangely..but, besides those two, what's Amethyst alone hiding? Obviously she showed up with some fresh love-marks, is there a secret boyfriend perhaps? If that's the case, why is Pearl in on this?"_

Garnet passed the halfway mark, still even with Amethyst in speed. Meanwhile, Pearl watched the two of them off in the distance. Left alone with her thoughts, Pearl's mind wandered off back to earlier. _The second she took a bite at the lips detaching from her own, she knew she was done for. She tried to shrug it off, but Amethyst would 't let her, she gave Pearl exactly what she wanted. She didn't get much treatment herself, but she loved pleasing Amethyst. The soft moans and hitch of breath, the way her muscles tightened, and they way she flinched after every touch. Pearl loved that she could have this, that she could have Amethyst. _  
Pearl stopped her train of thought immediately "No, she's not 'mine', that was an awfully possessive term to use." She couldn't help but entertain her thoughts. "Though, being able to have more access to her, to have the chance to get closer would..." Pearl snapped out of her thoughts again, not ready for what she was thinking.  
Of course, after pretending to focus on the race for a while, she lead herself back to her thoughts. But not with words, no, she imagined the possibilities of what she would like. How much further she would be willing to go with Amethyst.  
_Pearl pictured herself, back on the couch with Amethyst, hovering over her. She dove down, back to nipping at her chest, as she was before. She softened the bites with her twirling tongue, and soft suckling. Each time Amethyst relaxed, Pearl took an immediate snap at her as an unexpected surprise. In this little fantasy Amethyst was very audible now. Without the fear or risk of being caught by anyone outside, Amethyst's lungs gave out, rolling heavily with pants and screams. It was getting intense, the biting situation in this world...  
Pearl delved deeper, living trails of bites down to Amethyst's breast. She put a hand to the cup covering Amethyst and moved it, giving her more access to-_

"AAY, PEARL!" Amethyst shouted at her, as she approached the finish of her lap, with Garnet behind. Pearl snapped out of her thoughts, embarrassed at herself for having such lewd thoughts. She looked down at the timer in hand, and back to the girls who were fighting to finish the race. With an extra push, and a heft into the air, Amethyst made her mark. She nearly skid, but she made it on both feet. Garnet came to a stop soon after, and stopped by Amethyst out of breath. "Alright. You got me."  
Pearl ran up to Garnet with a bottle of water, and held onto her arm. "Great work out there!" Old habits die hard, she still couldn't resist sucking up to Garnet. Amethyst rolled her eyes, and walked off to fetch her own bottle. She sat down watching Pearl annoy Garnet, and Garnet attempting to get her own space. She let her head fall back and stared up at the sky, watching the clouds.  
Before too long, Garnet and Pearl were heading back to her. She groaned lightly and put an arm over her eyes. "Looks like I ain't gotta tell you nothin'."  
Garnet gave a fraction of a laugh, "I guess not."  
Pearl joined in the conversation, "What aren't you telling her?"  
Amethyst laughed, "Like I'm gonna tell you!" Even though, Pearl was already fully aware of the situation, Amethyst just wanted to have fun.  
Pearl looked between Garnet and Amethyst with confusion and suspicion, "What's going on? Is there something we should know. Amethyst? Garnet?"  
Amethyst brought her head back up and tossed the rest of her water Pearl, who panicked and fumbled to grab the bottle immediately. Pearl looked at the bottle in her hand and handed it back to Amethyst. She glared at her as she did so.  
Amethyst gave a smirk, "Nnnnope!" She casually brushed the hair on her shoulders aside. "It's between me and my secret lover." She gestured to the hickeys left on her collar bone. Pearl froze dead in her tracks, upon noticing the crucial evidence she left behind. A wave of heat hit her, and she became more red than those who just finished running.  
"Wh-what are you talking about Amethyst? Stop."  
Garnet and Amethyst both looked at Pearl. Amethyst was the one to reply though, "Garnet here wanted to know what I was up to before heading out. So, we made a wager." She pumped her fist into the air, "But I beat her sorry-" Amethyst could feel Garnet's cold stare and finished her sentence properly, as to not offend her. "-behind."  
"So, I guess now she'll never know what you and I were up to."  
Pearl finished the rest of Amethyst's thought, "Separately. What we were..both preoccupied with beforehand but not..together, I.." Pearl tried desperately to defend herself, even though she hadn't been accused of anything. "-I had nothing to do with, whatever it was Amethyst was up to, to cause.." She flicked a hand toward Amethyst, "Those."  
Pearl didn't even know Amethyst had such sensitive skin, she didn't expect those markings to be left behind. After that, she left an awkward silence, which eventually was broke by Garnet.  
"Well, alright then."

The girls went on with their exercises, races, and small talk for the rest of the afternoon. It was Pearl who had noticed so much time had gone by, when she checked her phone. "Oh boy. Well, this was fun, I think we should head back, Garnet." Pearl absentmindedly included Amethyst in her schedule.  
"Awww, what?" Amethyst whined. "I wanted to hang out with Garnet still, let's bring her back with us."  
Pearl wasn't so keen on the idea, this was supposed to be a day just for her and Amethyst. Well, that was her plan, Amethyst probably didn't care either way. "Oh, no I'm sure Garnet has somewhere else to be today."  
Garnet shrugged, "Not really, no."  
Amethyst smiled and grabbed onto Garnet beginning to run off, "Well come on, then! Let's go!" Amethyst was halted by Pearl sticking her arm out to grab onto her. She pulled her away from Garnet, "Amethyst! The thought is nice and all, but.." She backed away from Garnet, to consult Amethyst by herself. "We can both see Garnet any other day, let's just take the day to be by ourselves." She hoped Amethyst would get the hint, Pearl really just wanted to see where she stood with Amethyst. Not necessarily in romantic or sexual manner, oh no it was far too early for that. But, she wanted this opportunity to connect with Amethyst, maybe discuss this thing they have going on some more. She just wanted to explore the relationship while she could. With school, they didn't really have any other appropriate times to be able to do so.  
Amethyst looked over her shoulder at Garnet, and back to Pearl. "Aah...alright, I guess."  
Pearl smiled, she was glad she could get Amethyst to cooperate.  
"Sorry G, Pearl doesn't want you over, she hates you."  
Pearl frowned again, shocked at the way Amethyst had to un-invite Garnet. "No, I did not say that! Garnet, we would love to have you other but uh,...not...today." Surprisingly, her improv skills were pretty weak. She couldn't really think of an excuse right now. But it worked for the time being, Garnet seemed to understand, and she parted ways with the other two.  
After Pearl and Amethyst began to head back, Amethyst decided it'd be an appropriate time to question Pearl, without Garnet around. "So, what's the deali-o? Watcha got planned? What's next on our agenda?"  
Pearl kept walking, without responding to the question. Her face turned confused, then stern, and upset. She stopped and looked at Amethyst. "I have no idea."  
"Okay," Amethyst said. "I've got the perfect hang-out, come on." Amethyst turned away from campus, and began leading Pearl in a completely new direction.


	13. Atop the hill

(**A:N**/ This chapter was reviewed/edited by tumblr user popularly/gemshippingtrash)

( FFnet wont let me post links, so i had to credit lamely like that? But yeah, go to the blogs. they're great.)

* * *

Pearl ran alongside Amethyst as she dragged her off to the beach. It wasn't that far off from the campus, but what came next was a bit more of a hassle. Amethyst stopped, a few short breaths escaping her before revealing their destination. "Up there!" She said, pointing atop the hill where the lighthouse resided. Glancing upwards, Pearl gave a disgruntled look. "The lighthouse? I don't think so, Amethyst."

Amethyst scoffed, "No, we're not going

in

the lighthouse, just up the hill." Before Pearl could object, Amethyst began walking again, and she followed soon after. It was a rather tall hill, much to Pearl's discontentment, and honestly a trip to the library, or perhaps the ice cream shop, or any other alternative, would have been much more desirable to her. However, it did provide a space for the two to be alone, the only positive outlook on this that she thought of so far.

There wasn't much conversation the way up, but as soon as Amethyst reached the top, she yelled down at Pearl who was still behind. "Dude, come on!"

Groaning, Pearl jogged the rest of the way, meeting up with the other. Amethyst ran over and plopped herself down on the hillsides edge, swinging her feet back and forth. Pearl walked over, and peered over the edge at the beach and its languid waves. She sat near Amethyst, legs dangling next to hers. Pearl watched the ocean blowing softly with the wind, and the surrounding nature on the hill. "This is nice, I suppose."

"Yeah, it's pretty wicked." Amethyst replied with a grin, leaning back on her hands and breathing in the ocean air. "I come up here all the time, it's great."

Pearl looked at her, bemused, "All the time, really?" She questioned in a mocking tone, not once having heard Amethyst speak of coming up here before. She was almost positive this trip was improvised.

Amethyst nodded, "Where do you think I always storm off to after you finish squawking at me?" She looked at Pearl, giving her a small smirk. But Pearl only felt guilty now, and frowned. "Oh."

She mumbled, looking to the ground and anxiously picking at the grass. "Well, it's not like I particularly enjoy giving you a hard time."

"Don't worry about it, P." Amethyst watched Pearl as she kept picking at the ground. "I mean, it's not like I'm not provoking you or anything." Amethyst gave Pearl a playful shove, snapping her out of her daze. "But, you do know you're a bit of a brat too, right?"

Pearl could agree that Amethyst was the one to tease her to the point of frustration, but that last part she didn't quite see fit. "No… not right."

Amethyst looked at Pearl and crossed her arms. She did expect better, but this is Pearl after all. Pearl only sat staring back at Amethyst, with nothing more to say. Once she realized Amethyst was waiting for her to respond next, she looked back to the view of the beach. Pearl began mumbling, but quickly cleared her throat, prepping herself. "Well alright, we can both in the wrong."

Amethyst felt triumphant in getting Pearl to admit this, before the other girl's thoughts were finished. "..Mainly you though."

Amethyst rolled her eyes, "Yeah, sure…" She didn't feel like arguing right now, so she decided she could leave it at that for now.

They sat in silence, watching the ocean. Pearl's curiosity got the best of her, she really did want to know more about this hill top and why it was so special. She turned to Amethyst, and spoke. "So, how long have you been coming up here?"

She was also curious as to how often she had to get away from Pearl, for her own sake.

"Oh," Amethyst paused a moment, "Well, Rose was the one who showed me this place" Her gaze drifted away, and she began reminiscing. "Just earlier in the year, I was talking to her about some junk-" Pearl interjected "About me?"

Amethyst shot her a glare, and refused to reply. Pearl drew back, and realized she should let Amethyst continue the story she asked for. "Sorry, continue"

Amethyst turned back to the ocean, "Right, anyway, she took me out here to the beach, and lead me up this hill. It sucked ass climbing, but as soon as I came to the top, and first saw this view… it was crazy. I loved it…"

"I almost totally forgot about what was bothering me, then I realized that that was probably her trick, getting me side-tracked from the main subject, so I said to her, 'Rose, what's up, what does this have to do with anything?'"

Pearl waited in anticipation as Amethyst collected her thoughts. "It's just great how she sees the beauty in things, y'know? She was telling me about how that you don't know how long you've really got, so you've got to live your life graciously and appreciate the little things, appreciate the beauty you have in your life, and don't focus so much on your shit." Amethyst sighed, "She got a bit more philosophical, but that's pretty much what I gathered."

Amethyst turned to Pearl and looked down, waving a hand out at the beach below. "Check it out, actually look at it, Pearl. Isn't it great?"

Pearl smiled, she loved seeing Amethyst be so enthusiastic about something so graceful. And she was right after all, Rose did know best. The beach had a lovely view which she could appreciate. She looked to Amethyst, the sun shining behind her head, giving her a soft glow. You never know what beauties you have in life until you really get to look at them. Pearl turned her head back immediately. "It really is quite beautiful." she didn't want to get caught up in Amethyst again, emotionally or otherwise.

Amethyst went on talking, "You know, life kinda sucks. But, when I come up here, just to get away from it, it just makes me realize what I take for granted… And its not just you, I come up here whenever I feel…" She hesitated, considering her next words. "There's something else Rose told me, I think about it a lot actually." She paused again, not wanting to tell Pearl so soon, but wanting to all at the same time. She started the topic, and felt like she needed to finish it.

"What is it?" Pearl asked.

"Don't let anyone ever make you feel like garbage."

Pearl opened her mouth to reply, but shut it just as quickly. She didn't know what to say, it was great advice, but not something she could personally reconcile with. "Oh Amethyst," She finally said, "I'm sorry."

Amethyst looked at Pearl in confusion. "For what?"

Pearl shrugged and looked down, "For whenever you feel like you need to come up here. I mean, I'm glad you have some place you can let out your emotions, but I don't know how I feel about you coming up here because of me personally.

Amethyst nudged Pearl, trying to cheer her up. "Hey, I didn't bring you up here to get all mopey with me. Come on, it's alright. You know, the only person who can fix that is you. Don't apologize to me, just figure out how to appreciate the beautiful things in life." Amethyst struck an arrogant pose, to ease up the tension.

Pearl laughed it off, turning back away from Amethyst. The two sat in silence again, but Pearl kept thinking of what just happened. She couldn't get the guilt off her mind, so she turned to Amethyst again. She reached out and put a hand on her side to get her attention. "Amethyst-"

Amethyst jolted back and smacked Pearl's hand away. Pearl looked at her in shock, and Amethyst looked back embarrassed, but scoffed, and looked away again. "Don't touch me."

Pearl immediately brought her hand back to herself. She was definitely worried now. Was it something she said? She hadn't actually been speaking much, what just happened? She was so sure that she and Amethyst were having a fine time. "Amethyst… are you okay?"

Amethyst shrugged, "Yeah, I'm cool." And it really did seem sincere when she said it.

Pearl was confused, and tried to think over what just happened. A thought came to mind, something utterly ridiculous, but it didn't hurt to test the theory. "Amethyst," She reached out her hand again, focusing on the same spot she placed it last time. Amethyst noticed and inched away, "What?"

Pearl lunged her hand forward and grabbed onto Amethyst. The other girl snorted and whacked away her hand again. Amethyst blushed, and moved away from Pearl again, trying to put on a stone-faced look. Pearl smirked, proving her theory. "Amethyst, are you ticklish?"

"No way." Amethyst protested, crossing her arms defensively.

Pearl smiled mischievously and appeared to back off, "Alright" she said. She put her hands back down, and watched Amethyst from the corner of her eye. But her act didn't last long, Pearl lunged back at Amethyst, pushing her over and attacking her with her fingers.

Amethyst let out a squeal, but soon bit her tongue to hold in muffled laughter. Pearl poked and prodded at her with her fingers, stroking at her sides, and wiggling her fingers on her stomach. Amethyst soon gave into a laughing fit. She thrashed about as Pearl pinned her down, finding her weak spots and sending her into hysterics. Pearl couldn't help but plaster on a grin as well, it was, dare she say,

adorable

how Amethyst was so easily ticklish. But, right as Pearl had this thought, it was over in a flash as Amethyst's foot flew right into her face. Pearl flew back, and grabbed onto her nose, shrieking in pain.

Amethyst sat up, breathing heavily and glaring at Pearl. Pearl cupped her other hand onto her nose, and immediately looked for blame. "You kicked me!"

"You assaulted me!"

Of course, one of these incidents was more intentional and enjoyable than the other. Amethyst walked back over to Pearl, and took her hands away, inspecting her face. "Oh shit."

She gave a hand to Pearl, helping her up. "Okay, come on, let's go fix up your beak."


End file.
